Educational

triptych

[trip-tik]

three panels or compartments side by side with pictures or carvings

scuttle

[skuht-l]

to sink (a vessel) deliberately, especially by opening seacocks or making openings in the hull

ailurophile

[ahy-loor-uh-fahyl]

a person who likes cats; cat fancier

mammonism

[mam-uh-niz-uhm]

the greedy pursuit of riches

quisling

[kwiz-ling]

a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy, often serving later in a puppet government; a traitor

relegate

[rel-i-geyt]

to send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition

mendacious

[men-dey-shuhs]

telling lies, especially habitually; dishonest; untruthful

obelus

[ob-uh-luhs]

a mark (− or ÷) used in ancient manuscripts to point out spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous words or passages

fipple

[fip-uhl]

a plug stopping the upper end of a pipe, as a recorder or a whistle, and having a narrow slit through which the player blows

troglodyte

[trog-luh-dayt]

a person living in seclusion

validate

[val-i-deyt ]

to make valid; substantiate; confirm

deleterious

[del-i-teer-ee-uhs]

injurious to health

spondee

[spon-dee]

in poetry, a "foot" of two syllables, both of which are long in quantitative meter or stressed in accentual meter

avuncular

[uh-vuhng-kyuh-ler]

acting like an uncle, as in being kind, patient, generous, etc., especially to younger people

tergiversate

[tur-ji-ver-seyt]

to turn renegade

circumspect

[sur-kuhm-spekt]

watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent; well-considered

yarborough

[yahr-bur-oh]

a hand in which no card is higher than a nine

abridge

[uh-brij]

to reduce or lessen in duration, scope, authority, etc.

tantamount

[tan-tuh-mount]

equivalent, as in value, force, effect, or signification

officious

[uh-fish-uhs]

objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice; meddlesome

solder

[sod-er]

to join closely and intimately

pecuniary

[pi-kyoo-nee-er-ee]

of or relating to money

penultimate

[pi-nuhl-tuh-mit]

next to the last

fledgling

[flej-ling]

young, new, or inexperienced