(JAWNT), noun
A short journey taken for pleasure.
gamesome (GAYM-suhm). Playful and frolicsome.
“[Nature] is GAMESOME and good, / But of mutable mood,— / No dreary repeater now and again, / She will be all things to all men.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, essayist, and transcendentalist
peripatetic (per-ih-pa-TET-ik). Wandering from career to career, job to job, company to company, or place to place, seemingly without a clear goal or definiteness of purpose.
While waiting to receive his trust fund at age thirty, Giles lived a PERIPATETIC lifestyle.
wayfaring (WAY-fair-ing). Traveling on foot.
We spent many WAYFARING weekends during our month-long jaunt in France last year.
disport (dih-SPORT). A diversion or amusement.
Felicia has turned the act of arguing with the proprietors of her favorite boutiques into a DISPORT.
pied-à-terre (pyay-duh-TARE). A second home or apartment, usually small, used as a place to stay for short trips to the location in lieu of renting a hotel room.
We were amazed that Alison and her family could survive in a PIED-À-TERRE containing just 2,500 square feet.
wanderlust (WAWN-der-lust). A strong and innate desire to travel far from home.
“In our WANDERLUST, we are lovers looking for consummation.”—Anatole Broyard, literary critic for the New York Times
gallivant (GAL-ih-vant). To wander widely; to constantly travel to many different places, without an itinerary or plan; to freely go wherever and whenever the mood strikes you, and doing so frequently.
Some accuse us of GALLIVANTING around the world, but cultural knowledge is de rigueur for cocktail conversation.
gambol (GAM-bull). To run, skip, or jump about in a playful or joyous fashion.
“We all have these places where shy humiliations GAMBOL on sunny afternoons.”—W. H. Auden, Anglo-American poet
meander (me-AN-duhr). To wander aimlessly.
We fired that particular servant because he MEANDERED far too slowly from task to task.
wend (WEND). To go; to proceed.
“As they WEND away / A voice is heard singing / Of Kitty, or Katy, / As if the name meant once / All love, all beauty.”—Philip Larkin, British poet, novelist, and jazz critic
laggard (LAG-urd). A person who loiters; one who is sluggish and reacts slowly.
“Reviewers… must normally function as huff-and-puff artists blowing LAGGARD theatergoers stageward.”—Walter Kerr, American theater critic
(JIN), noun
A mythical creature created from fire long before man inhabited the Earth.
arcane (ar-KAYN). Strange and mysterious; understood by only a few.
Bill’s ARCANE knowledge of all Lexus models and their accessories is just a waste of gray matter.
Brobdingnagian (brahb-ding-NAG-ian). Of enormous size; huge.
Andre the Giant was a man of BROBDINGNAGIAN proportions, standing seven-foot-five-inches and weighing over five hundred pounds.
resplendent (reh-SPLEN-dent). Garbed or decorated in lush fabrics and rich, vibrant colors.
The bride was RESPLENDENT in a beaded silk gown.
transcendent (tran-SEN-dent). Going beyond normal everyday experience; existing beyond the known physical universe and its limitations.
“Genius… means the TRANSCENDENT capacity of taking trouble.”—Thomas Carlyle, Scottish satirist and historian
allegory (AL-eh-gor-ee). A story told to communicate a hidden meaning or deeper theme.
Many of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales are clear ALLEGORIES of the consequences of children’s rotten behavior.
juggernaut (JUG-er-nawt). A large, overpowering, destructive force.
Once he begins arguing about the superiority of Maseratis, Jefferson becomes a JUGGERNAUT, capable of deflating anyone else’s arguments.
legerdemain (le-juhr-duh-MAYN). Magic tricks; or, generally speaking, trickery and deception.
The Wilkinsons are one of the few of our families whose initial wealth did not come as a result of financial LEGERDEMAIN.
leviathan (le-VY-uh-thun). A gigantic creature, structure, or thing, awe-inspiring in its sheer size.
“Wilson looked out through the window at the LEVIATHAN glitter of the terminal.”—Richard Matheson, American science fiction writer
Lilliputian (lil-uh-PEW-shen). Small in stature; tiny in comparison to one’s peers.
Jules Vern’s LILLIPUTIAN appearance made people treat him like a child.
minimalism (MIN-ih-mull-iz-um). A school of art in which “less is more”—clean and uncluttered paintings; sculpture with simple lines; fiction written in a lean and spare style; and music with uncomplicated scores and minimal instruments.
John Cage’s MINIMALIST composition 433 consists of four and a half minutes of silence.
(JUHJ-muhnt), noun
A formed opinion; a decision made by objective deliberation; the capacity to judge.
sagacious (suh-GAY-shuss). Perceptive; showing sound judgment.
Brian is the perfect candidate for chairman of the board; experienced, patient, and SAGACIOUS enough to help us counter the threat from our competitor.
acumen (uh-CUE-men). Keenness of judgment; the ability to make quick, accurate decisions and evaluations; characterized by rapid discernment and insight.
After only two years as a restaurant owner, Clyde developed a remarkable business ACUMEN; in a “bad location,” he attracted many customers.
inference (IN-fer-ence). The process of reaching a logical conclusion by examining and analyzing the evidence.
Watson solved cases through INFERENCE, while Sherlock Holmes was seemingly gifted with flashes of brilliant insight.
noesis (no-EE-sis). The functioning of the intellect; the exercise of reason.
Researchers in the field of artificial intelligence dedicate much of their time to the study of human NOESIS.
osmosis (oz-MOW-siss). A subtle and effortless assimilation of ideas or influences.
Just hanging out with Bob, who was an A student, seemed to help Vincent improve his grades, as if he were learning what Bob knew through OSMOSIS.
rumination (roo-muh-NAY-shun). The act of thinking about something in great detail, weighing the pros and cons over and over in your mind.
For busy people under stress, RUMINATION after going to bed is a frequent contributor to insomnia.
glean (GLEEN). To discover or learn slowly and deliberately.
Jacob GLEANED from the drop in Ferrari sales that a looming recession even had some of his social contacts feeling nervous.
impolitic (im-PAWL-uh-tik). Not prudent; injudicious; unwise.
After a few drinks, Uncle Roland has an unfortunate habit of making IMPOLITIC remarks about my father’s failed business ventures.
indiscreet (in-dih-SKREET). Lacking good judgment and prudence; apt to talk about things that others would like left private.
Don’t get alcohol near Melanie. It makes her go from prudent to INDISCREET in less than sixty seconds!
indiscriminate (in-dih-SKRIM-uh-net). Lacking clear judgment and careful distinction; haphazard; random.
The INDISCRIMINATE shelving of books made it almost impossible to do any successful browsing in the bookshop.
myopic (my-OP-ik). Narrow-mindedness or short-sightedness in one’s views; lack of discernment.
Your MYOPIC views will win you few votes during the election, Senator.
promiscuous (prom-ih-SKYOO-uhs). Not restricted by type; indiscriminate; casual; irregular.
The comparatively tolerant attitude toward the PROMISCUOUS behavior of the late 1970s and early 1980s changed dramatically with the onset of the AIDS crisis.
See also: Learn, Think, Understanding