Word of the Day: Pretension

pretension

prɪˈtɛnʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   a claim or assertion of a claim to something.

   "his pretensions to the imperial inheritance"

   synonyms:

   aspiration, claim, assertion, pretence, profession, purporting "the author firmly denies any pretension to exhaustive coverage"
2. 2.

   the use of affectation to impress; pretentiousness.

   "he spoke simply, without pretension"

   synonyms:

   pretentiousness, affectation, affectedness, ostentation,ostentatiousness, artificiality, attitudinizing, airs, posing, posturing,showing off, hypocrisy, snobbery, show, flashiness; More

Word of the Day: Ostentation

ostentation

ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. the pretentious or showy display of wealth and luxury, designed to impress.

   "the office was spacious, but without any trace of ostentation"

   synonyms:

   showiness, show, showing off, ostentatiousness;  pretentiousness,pretension, vulgarity, conspicuousness, obtrusiveness, display,flamboyance, gaudiness, garishness, tinsel, brashness, loudness,extravagance, ornateness, theatricality, kitschness, affectation, bad taste, tastelessness, self-advertisement, exhibitionism, flaunting; informalflashiness, flash, flashness, glitz, glitziness, ritziness,swankiness, swank, splashiness

Word of the Day: Debilitate

debilitate

dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/

verb

past tense: debilitated; past participle: debilitated

1. make (someone) very weak and infirm.

   "he was severely debilitated by a stomach upset"

   synonyms:

   weakening, enfeebling, enervating, enervative, devitalizing, draining,sapping, wearing, exhausting, tiring; More

   • hinder, delay, or weaken.

     "hard drugs destroy families and debilitate communities"

     synonyms:

     weaken, make weak, make feeble, enfeeble, enervate, devitalize, sap,drain, exhaust, weary, tire, fatigue, wear out, prostrate;

Word of the Day: Fungible

fungible

ˈfʌn(d)ʒɪb(ə)l/

adjective

LAW

adjective: fungible

1. (of goods contracted for without an individual specimen being specified) replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable.

Word of the Day: Avarice

avarice

ˈav(ə)rɪs/

noun

1. extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

   "he was rich beyond the dreams of avarice"
2. synonyms: greed, acquisitiveness, cupidity, covetousness, avariciousness, rapacity, rapaciousness, graspingness, materialism, mercenariness; 

Word of the Day: Promissory

promissory

ˈprɒmɪs(ə)ri/

adjective

1. 1.

   LAW

   conveying or implying a promise.

   "statements that are promissory in nature"
2. 2.

   archaic

   indicative of something to come; full of promise.

   "the glow of evening is promissory of the splendid days to come"

Word of the Day: Despondent

despondent

dɪˈspɒnd(ə)nt/

adjective

adjective: despondent

1. in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

   "she grew more and more despondent"

   
   synonyms: disheartened, discouraged, dispirited, downhearted, low-spirited, in low spirits, hopeless, downcast, cast down, crestfallen, down, low,disconsolate, in despair, despairing, wretched, oppressed;
   
2. antonyms: hopeful, cheerful

Word of the Day: Prescriptive

prescriptive

prɪˈskrɪptɪv/

adjective

1. 1.

   relating to the imposition or enforcement of a rule or method.

   "these guidelines are not intended to be prescriptive"

   synonyms: dictatorial, authoritarian, tyrannical, despotic;
2. 2.

   (of a right, title, or institution) having become legally established or accepted by long usage or the passage of time.

   "a prescriptive right of way"

Word of the Day: Autonomy

autonomy

ɔːˈtɒnəmi/

noun

noun: autonomy

1. the right or condition of self-government.

   "between the First and Second World Wars, Canada gained greater autonomy from Britain"

   • a self-governing country or region.

     plural noun: autonomies

     "the national autonomies of the Russian Republic"
   • freedom from external control or influence; independence.

     "the courts enjoy a considerable degree of autonomy"

Word of the Day: Egalitarian

egalitarian

ɪˌgalɪˈtɛːrɪən/

adjective

adjective: egalitarian

1. 1.

   believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.

   "a fairer, more egalitarian society"

noun

noun: egalitarian; plural noun: egalitarians

1. 1.

   a person who advocates or supports the principle of equality for all people.

   "he was a social and political egalitarian"

Word of the Day: Equanimity

equanimity

ˌɛkwəˈnɪmɪti,iː-/

noun

noun: equanimity

1. calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation.

   "she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity"

1. synonyms: composure, calmness, calm, level-headedness, self-possession, self-control, even-temperedness, coolness, cool-headedness, presence of mind; 
2. antonyms: anxiety

Word of the Day: Provision

provision

prəˈvɪʒ(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   the action of providing or supplying something for use.

   "new contracts for the provision of services"

   synonyms:

   supplying, supply, providing, purveying, delivery, furnishing, equipping,giving, donation, allocation, distribution, presentation "the President condemned the provision of weapons to guerrillas"
2. 2.

   an amount or thing supplied or provided.

   "changing levels of transport provision"

   synonyms: facilities, services, amenities, resource(s), equipment, arrangements,solutions; 

   
   

   • 
     

verb

1. 1.

   supply with food, drink, or equipment, especially for a journey.

   "civilian contractors were responsible for provisioning these armies"
2. 2.

   set aside an amount in an organization's accounts for a known liability.

   "financial institutions have to provision against loan losses"

Word of the Day: Acquiescence

acquiescence

ˌakwɪˈɛsns/

noun

noun: acquiescence; plural noun: acquiescences

1. the reluctant acceptance of something without protest.

   "in silent acquiescence, she rose to her feet"
2. synonyms: permit, consent to, agree to, allow, assent to, give one's consent to,accept, concur with, give one's assent to, give one's blessing to, say yes to, give the nod to, give one's approval to;
   
   
3. antonyms: forbid, refusal
4.