[English Vocab Tutorial] melancholy, lucidity, coax, drily, reprimand, sheer

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Dictionary.reference.com

mel·an·chol·y

  [mel-uhn-kol-ee]  Show IPA noun, pluralmel·an·chol·ies, adjective

noun

1.

a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged;depression.

2.

sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

3.

Archaic.

a.

the condition of having too much black bile, considered inancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.

b.

black bile.

adjective

4.

affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy;mournful; depressed: a melancholy mood.

5.

causing melancholy or sadness; saddening: a melancholy occasion.

6.

soberly thoughtful; pensive.

lu·cid·i·ty

 [loo-sid-i-tee]  Show IPA

noun

1.

the quality of being easily understood, completely intelligible, or comprehensible: She makes her argument with pointed logic and exemplary lucidity.

2.

the ability to see things clearly; rationality; sanity: In a rare moment of lucidity, the senator sided with his political enemies for the good of the country.

Sometimes, lu·cid·ness.

Related forms

non·lu·cid·i·ty, noun

coax

1  [kohks]  Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1.

to attempt to influence by gentle persuasion, flattery, etc.;cajole: He coaxed her to sing, but she refused.

2.

to obtain by coaxing: We coaxed the secret from him.

3.

to manipulate to a desired end by adroit handling or persistent effort: He coaxed the large chair through the door.

4.

Obsolete .

a.

to fondle.

b.

to fool; deceive.

verb (used without object)

5.

to use gentle persuasion.

rep·ri·mand

  [n. rep-ruh-mand, -mahnd; v. rep-ruh-mand, -mahnd, rep-ruh-mand, -mahnd]  Show IPA

noun

1.

a severe reproof or rebuke, especially a formal one by a personin authority.

verb (used with object)

2.

to reprove or rebuke severely, especially in a formal way.

sheer

1  [sheer]  Show IPA adjective, sheer·er, sheer·est,adverb, noun

adjective

1.

transparently thin; diaphanous, as some fabrics: sheer stockings.

2.

unmixed with anything else: We drilled a hundred feet through sheer rock.

3.

unqualified; utter: sheer nonsense.

4.

extending down or up very steeply; almost completely vertical: a sheer descent of rock.

5.

British Obsolete . bright; shining.

Extension learning


wet behind the ears and not dry behind the ears; hardly dry behind the ears
young and inexperienced. 

pen·sive

  [pen-siv]  Show IPA

adjective

1.

dreamily or wistfully thoughtful: a pensive mood.

2.

expressing or revealing thoughtfulness, usually marked by some sadness: a pensive adagio.