Knave (n.)

knave

nāv/

noun

archaic

noun: knave; plural noun: knaves

1. a dishonest or unscrupulous man.

   • another term for jack¹ in cards.

Origin

Old English cnafa ‘boy, servant’; related to German Knabe ‘boy.’

Turbid (adj.)

tur·bid

ˈtərbəd/

adjective

adjective: turbid

1. (of a liquid) cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter.

   “the turbid estuary”

   synonyms:

   murky, opaque, cloudy, unclear, muddy, thick, milky, roily “turbid waters”

   antonyms:

   clear

   • confused or obscure in meaning or effect.

     “a turbid piece of cinéma vérité”

Origin

late Middle English (in the figurative sense): from Latin turbidus, from turba ‘a crowd, a disturbance.’

Benumb (v.)

be·numb

bəˈnəm/

verb

verb: benumb; 3rd person present: benumbs; past tense: benumbed; past participle: benumbed; gerund or present participle: benumbing

1. deprive of physical or emotional feeling.

   “a hoarse shout cut through his benumbed senses”

Origin

late 15th century: from obsolete benome, past participle of benim ‘deprive,’ from be- (expressing removal) + Old English niman ‘take.’

Vivify (v.)

viv·i·fy

ˈvivəˌfī/

verb

verb: vivify; 3rd person present: vivifies; past tense: vivified; past participle: vivified; gerund or present participle: vivifying

1. enliven or animate.

   “outings vivify learning for children”

Origin

late Middle English: from French vivifier, from late Latin vivificare, from Latin vivus ‘living,’ from vivere ‘to live.’

Mottle (v.)

mot·tle

ˈmädl/

verb

verb: mottle; 3rd person present: mottles; past tense: mottled; past participle: mottled; gerund or present participle: mottling

1. 1.

   mark with spots or smears of color.

   “the cow’s coat was light red mottled with white”

   synonyms:

   blotchy, blotched, spotted, spotty, speckled, streaked, streaky, marbled, flecked, freckled, dappled, stippled; piebald, skewbald, brindled, brindle, pinto, calico; informalsplotchy “mottled horses”

noun

noun: mottle; plural noun: mottles

1. 1.

   an irregular arrangement of spots or patches of color.

   “the ship was a mottle of khaki and black”

   • a spot or patch forming part of a mottled arrangement.

     adjective: mottling

     “the mottles on a trout”

Origin

late 18th century: probably a back-formation from motley.

Impetuous (adj.)

im·pet·u·ous

imˈpeCH(o͞o)əs/

adjective

adjective: impetuous

1. acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

   “her friend was headstrong and impetuous”

   synonyms:

   impulsive, rash, hasty, overhasty, reckless, heedless, careless, foolhardy, bullheaded, headstrong, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-considered, unthought-out; spontaneous, impromptu, spur-of-the-moment, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, rushed; informaldevil-may-care, harum-scarum, hotheaded “an impetuous decision”

   antonyms:

   considered, cautious

   • moving forcefully or rapidly.

     “an impetuous but controlled flow of water”

     synonyms:

     torrential, powerful, forceful, vigorous, violent, raging, relentless, uncontrolled; More

     antonyms:

     sluggish

Origin

late Middle English: from Old French impetueux, from late Latin impetuosus, from impetere ‘to assail, attack.’

Rumination (n.)

ru·mi·na·tion

ˌro͞oməˈnāSH(ə)n/

noun

noun: rumination; plural noun: ruminations

1. 1.

   a deep or considered thought about something.

   “philosophical ruminations about life and humanity”

   • the action or process of thinking deeply about something.

     modifier noun: rumination

     “this film stuck out, demanding attention and rumination”
2. 2.

   the action of chewing the cud.

   “cows slow down their rumination”

Dunderhead (n.)

dun·der·head

ˈdəndərˌhed/

noun

informal

noun: dunderhead; plural noun: dunderheads

1. a stupid person.

Origin

early 17th century: compare with obsolete Scots dunder, dunner ‘resounding noise’; related to din.

Erstwhile (adj.)

erst·while

ˈərstˌ(h)wīl/

adjective

adjective: erstwhile

1. 1.

   former.

   “his erstwhile rivals”

   synonyms:

   former, old, past, one-time, sometime, ex-, late, then; previous; formalquondam “Candi’s erstwhile tennis instructor”

   antonyms:

   present

adverb

archaic

adverb: erstwhile

1. 1.

   formerly.

   “Mary Anderson, erstwhile the queen of America’s stage”