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). 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.) avarice (n.) excessive greed (The bankers avarice led him to amass an enormous personal fortune.) cajole (v.) to urge, coax (Magda's friends cajoled her into drinking too much.) callous (adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderers callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.) circumspect (adj.) cautious (Though I promised Martas 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.) 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.) 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 teachers accent.) eloquent (adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an eloquent speech that most guests were crying.) empathy (n.) sensitivity to anothers feelings as if they were ones own (I feel such empathy for my dog when shes upset so am I!) 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.) flabbergasted (adj.) to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder, 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.) gluttony (n.) overindulgence in food or drink (Helens fried chicken tastes so divine, I dont know how anyone can call gluttony a sin.) impeccable (adj.) exemplary, flawless (If your grades were as impeccable as your brothers, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.) impertinent (adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I dont wish to dignify them with an answer.) implacable (adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out: once you shun Grandmothers 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 wasnt going anywhere until her incisive comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.) indolent (adj.) lazy (Why should my indolent children, who cant 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 customers 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.) knell (n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (Echoing throughout our village, the funeral knell made the grey day even grimmer.) lurid (adj.) ghastly, sensational (Barrys story, in which he described a character torturing his neighbour's tortoise, was judged too lurid to be published on the English Library's website.) maverick (n.) an independent, nonconformist person (John is a real maverick and always does things his own way.) maxim (n.) a common saying expressing a principle of conduct (Ms. Stones etiquette maxims are both entertaining and instructional.) myriad (adj.) consisting of a very great number (It was difficult to decide what to do on Saturday night because the city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.) nadir (n.) the lowest point of something (My day was boring, but the nadir came when my new car was stolen.) novice (n.) a beginner, someone without training or experience (Because we were all novices at archery, our instructor decided to begin with the basics nuance (n.) a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression (The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the teacher was able to point them out.) panacea (n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not.) parody (n.) a satirical imitation (A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher returned to find Magdalena acting out a parody of his teaching style.) penchant (n.) a tendency, partiality, preference (Fionas dinner parties quickly became monotonous on account of her penchant for Indian dishes.) perusal (n.) a careful examination, review (The actor agreed to accept the role after a three-month perusal of the movie script.) plethora (n.) an abundance, excess (The wedding banquet included a plethora of oysters piled almost three feet high.)

rash (adj.) hasty, incautious (Its best to think things over calmly and thoroughly, rather than make rash decisions.) repudiate (v.) to reject, refuse to accept (Tom made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting words.) rife (adj.) abundant (Surprisingly, the teachers writing was rife with spelling errors.) salient (adj.) significant, conspicuous (One of the salient differences between Alison and Helen is that Alison is a couple of kilos heavier.) serendipity (n.) luck, finding good things without looking for them (In an amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Mark found a $50 bill on the back seat of the bus.) superfluous (adj.) exceeding what is necessary (Samantha had already won the campaign so her constant flattery of others was superfluous.) venerable (adj.) deserving of respect because of age or achievement (The venerable High Court judge had made several key rulings in landmark cases throughout the years.) vex (v.) to confuse or annoy (My boyfriend vexes me by pinching my bottom for hours on end.) vociferous (adj.) loud, boisterous (Im tired of his vociferous whining so Im breaking up with him.) wanton (adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful (Joannas wanton demeanor often made the frat guys next door very excited zenith (n.) the highest point, culminating point (I was too nice to tell Emily that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one top 10 hit of hers. Fianc/fiance (n..) man/woman ilk (n.) family, class, or kind (he and all his ilk.) Circumspect (adj.) careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences Untenable (adj.) not able to be defended Immutable (adj.) unchanging Streamline (adj.) so constituted or altered to make a simple, straight, and efficient direct Lame duck (n.) A person or thing that isn't properly able to function, especially one that was previously proficient. Sprain; Blink unconscious; wink conscious Creeps up - I can appear fairly intelligent when football creeps up in any conversation. Hindsight opposite of foresight understanding the nature of an event after it has happened

In/on hindsight
Explicit - precisely and clearly expressed, leaving nothing to implication

invariably - without variation or change, in every case; "constantly kind and gracious"; he always arrives on
time"

impunity - freedom or exemption from punishment, penalty, or harm The security forces continued to enjoy virtual impunity for past human rights violation obnoxious very unpleasant & offensive He becomes obnoxious, repetitive, boring, tedious

Proverbs
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link A change is as good as a rest A fool and his money are soon parted A friend in need is a friend indeed A good beginning makes a good ending A good man is hard to find A house divided against itself cannot stand A house is not a home A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step A leopard cannot change its spots A little knowledge is a dangerous thing A little of what you fancy does you good A miss is as good as a mile A new broom sweeps clean A nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse A penny saved is a penny earned A person is known by the company he keeps A picture paints a thousand words A place for everything and everything in its place A problem shared is a problem halved A prophet is not recognized in his own land A rolling stone gathers no moss A stitch in time saves nine A thing of beauty is a joy forever A volunteer is worth twenty pressed men A watched pot never boils A woman's place is in the home A woman's work is never done Absolute power corrupts absolutely Actions speak louder than words All good things come to he who waits All that glisters is not gold All the world loves a lover All things must pass All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy All you need is love All's fair in love and war An Englishman's home is his castle An apple a day keeps the doctor away An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure As you sow so shall you reap Ask no questions and hear no lies Attack is the best form of defence Barking dogs seldom bite Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Beauty is only skin deep Beggars can't be choosers Behind every great man there's a great woman

Better late than never Better safe than sorry Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all Better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to speak and remove all doubt Beware of Greeks bearing gifts Birds of a feather flock together Blood is thicker than water Boys will be boys Charity begins at home Cleanliness is next to godliness Cold hands, warm heart Comparisons are odius Count you blessings Cut your coat to suit your cloth Discretion is the better part of valour Do as you would be done by Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Don't bite the hand that feeds you Don't burn your bridges behind you Don't change horses in midstream Don't count your chickens before they are hatched Don't cross the bridge till you come to it Don't keep a dog and bark yourself Don't let the bastards grind you down Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Don't put all your eggs in one basket Don't put new wine into old bottles Don't rock the boat Don't spoil the ship for a ha'pworth of tar Don't try to teach your Grandma to suck eggs Don't try to walk before you can crawl Don't upset the apple-cart Doubt is the beginning not the end of wisdom Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise Easy come, easy go Empty vessels make the most noise Enough is as good as a feast Enough is enough Every dark cloud has a silver lining Every dog has his day Every man has his price Every stick has two ends Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die Failing to plan is planning to fail Faint heart never won fair lady Faith will move mountains Familiarity breeds contempt Finders keepers, losers weepers

First things first Fish and guests smell after three days Flattery will get you nowhere Fools rush in where angels fear to tread Forewarned is forearmed Fortune favours the brave God helps those who help themselves Good fences make good neighbours Good talk saves the food Good things come to those who wait Great minds think alike Half a loaf is better than no bread Handsome is as handsome does Hard work never did anyone any harm Haste makes waste He who hesitates is lost He who laughs last laughs longest He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword He who pays the piper calls the tune Hindsight is always twenty-twenty History repeats itself Home is where the heart is If God had meant us to fly he'd have given us wings If a job is worth doing it is worth doing well If at first you don't succeed try, try and try again If ifs and ands were pots and pans there'd be no work for tinkers If life deals you lemons, make lemonade If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain If wishes were horses beggars would ride If you can't be good, be careful. If you can't beat em, join em If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery In the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king In the midst of life we are in death Into every life a little rain must fall It goes without saying It never rains but it pours It takes a thief to catch a thief It takes one to know one It's all grist to the mill It's an ill wind that blows no one any good It's better to give than to receive It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness It's better to travel hopefully than to arrive It's never too late It's no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted It's not worth crying over spilt milk

It's the early bird that gets the worm It's the empty can that makes the most noise It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease Jack of all trades, master of none Keep your chin up Keep your powder dry Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and, you weep alone Laughter is the best medicine Let bygones be bygones Let not the sun go down on your wrath Let sleeping dogs lie Let the punishment fit the crime Life begins at forty Life is what you make it Life's not all beer and skittles Lightening never strikes twice in the same place Like father, like son Little pitchers have big ears Live for today for tomorrow never comes Look before you leap Love is blind Make love not war Man does not live by bread alone Many a little makes a mickle Marry in haste, repent at leisure Mighty oaks from little acorns grow Misery loves company Money doesn't grow on trees Money makes the world go round Money talks More haste, less speed Music has charms to soothe the savage breast Nature abhors a vacuum Necessity is the mother of invention Never judge a book by its cover Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today No man is an island No one can make you feel inferior without your consent No rest for the wicked Nothing is certain but death and taxes Oil and water don't mix Old soldiers never die, they just fade away One good turn deserves another Only fools and horses work Opportunity only knocks once Out of sight, out of mind Pearls of wisdom People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones Possession is nine tenths of the law

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely Practice makes perfect Pride comes before a fall Procrastination is the thief of time Put your best foot forward Red sky at night shepherds delight; red sky in the morning, shepherds warning Revenge is a dish best served cold Rome wasn't built in a day Spare the rod and spoil the child Speak softly and carry a big stick Still waters run deep Stupid is as stupid does Talk is cheap That which does not kill us makes us stronger The Devil finds work for idle hands to do The best defence is a good offence The boy is father to the man The cobbler always wears the worst shoes The darkest hour is just before the dawn The early bird catches the worm The ends justify the means The exception which proves the rule The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world The longest journey starts with a single step The more things change, the more they stay the same The pen is mightier than sword The proof of the pudding is in the eating The way to a man's heart is through his stomach There are none so blind as those, that will not see There but for the grace of God, go I There's always more fish in the sea There's many a slip twixt cup and lip There's more than one way to skin a cat There's no fool like an old fool There's no place like home There's no smoke without fire There's no such thing as a free lunch There's no such thing as bad publicity There's no time like the present There's none so deaf as they that will not hear There's one born every minute Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas Time and tide wait for no man Time is a great healer To err is human, to forgive divine To the victor go the spoils To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive Tomorrow never comes

Too many cooks spoil the broth Truth is stranger than fiction Two heads are better than one Two wrongs don't make a right Walk softly but carry a big stick Waste not want not When the cat's away the mice will play Where there's a will there's a way Worrying never did anyone any good You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink You can't get blood out of a stone You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs You can't make bricks without straw You can't teach an old dog new tricks You can't tell a book by looking at its cover You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar Youth is wasted on the young