September 24, 2011

Ogle | Define Ogle at Dictionary.com

September 24, 2011

o·gle

pronounced: OHghul

verb (used with object)

1.

to look at amorously, flirtatiously, or impertinently.

2.

to eye; look or stare at.

via Ogle | Define Ogle at Dictionary.com.

Disparages | Define Disparages at Dictionary.com

September 21, 2011

dis·par·age

verb (used with object), -aged, -ag·ing.

1.

to speak of or treat slightingly; depreciate; belittle: Do not disparage good manners.

2.

to bring reproach or discredit upon; lower the estimation of: Your behavior will disparage the whole family.

via Disparages | Define Disparages at Dictionary.com.

 

Williams disparages white fear of black crime by characterizing the criminal records of Goetz’s victims as mere “allegations”.

harebrained – definition of harebrained by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

September 20, 2011

hare·brained (hârbrnd)

adj.

Foolish; flighty: a harebrained scheme.

Usage Note: The first use of harebrained dates to 1548. The spelling hairbrained also has a long history, going back to the 1500s when hair was a variant spelling of hare. The hair variant was preserved in Scotland into the 18th century, and as a result it is impossible to tell exactly when people began writing hairbrained in the belief that the word means “having a hair-sized brain” rather than “with no more sense than a hare.” While hairbrained continues to be used and confused, it should be avoided in favor of harebrained which has been established as the correct spelling.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

harebrained, hairbrained [ˈhɛəˌbreɪnd]

adj

rash, foolish, or badly thought out harebrained schemes

via harebrained – definition of harebrained by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia..

Obstreperous | Define Obstreperous at Dictionary.com

September 20, 2011

ob·strep·er·ous

adjective

1.

resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.

2.

noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

via Obstreperous | Define Obstreperous at Dictionary.com.

Recrimination | Define Recrimination at Dictionary.com

August 30, 2011

re·crim·i·na·tion

noun

1.

the act of recriminating, or countercharging: Hope gave way to recrimination with both sides claiming the moral high ground.

2.

a countercharge: The poll suggests that the public is frustrated by the bickering and recriminations.

via Recrimination | Define Recrimination at Dictionary.com.

Accretions | Define Accretions at Dictionary.com

August 30, 2011

ac·cre·tion

[uh-kree-shuhn] Show IPA

noun

1.

an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition; growth in size or extent.

2.

the result of this process.

3.

an added part; addition: The last part of the legend is a later accretion.

4.

the growing together of separate parts into a single whole.

5.

Law . increase of property by gradual natural additions, as of land by alluvion.

via Accretions | Define Accretions at Dictionary.com.

Apologist | Define Apologist at Dictionary.com

August 29, 2011

a·pol·o·gist

noun

1.

a person who makes a defense in speech or writing of a belief, idea, etc.

2.

Ecclesiastical .

a.

Also, a·pol·o·gete  [uh-pol-uh-jeet] Show IPA. a person skilled in apologetics.

b.

one of the authors of the early Christian apologies in defense of the faith.

via Apologist | Define Apologist at Dictionary.com.

 

Why waste your time engaging politically when it is ultimately money that buys results, at least if you’re not one of those few souls with vast sums of it?

“But maybe,” the apologist insists, “the problem is in what Americans believe. Maybe we should work hard to convince Americans that they’re wrong. It’s understandable that they believe money is corrupting Washington. But it isn’t. The money is benign. It supports the positions members have already taken. It is simply how those positions find voice and support. It is just the American way.”

Here a second and completely damning response walks onto the field: if money really doesn’t affect results in Washington, then what could possibly explain the fundamental policy failures–relative to every comparable democracy across the world, whether liberal or conservative–of our government over the past decades?

Avarice | Define Avarice at Dictionary.com

August 24, 2011

av·a·rice

[av-er-is] Show IPA

noun

insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth; covetous

via Avarice | Define Avarice at Dictionary.com.

 

Utilitarianism…tolerating the crimes by the passionate and the avaricious against the cold and the frugal…

Denote | Define Denote at Dictionary.com

August 23, 2011

de·note   [dih-noht] Show IPAverb used with object, -not·ed, -not·ing.1.to be a mark or sign of; indicate: A fever often denotes an infection.2.to be a name or designation for; mean.3.to represent by a symbol; stand as a symbol for.

via Denote | Define Denote at Dictionary.com.

“Rational” denotes suiting means to ends, rather than mulling things over, and much of our knowledge is tacit.