Everyday Language
Nostril
(n.)The openings in the nose.
Eg. The scent of wildflowers tickled her nostrils as she walked through the meadow.
Copious
(adj.) abundant; plentiful; in large quantities
Eg. Sarah took copious notes during the lecture to ensure she didn't miss any important details.
Nominal
(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
Eg. The pay raise they promised was nominal, barely enough to cover the increased cost of living.
Rhetorical Question
A question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer.
Eg. The politician employed a powerful rhetorical question to emphasize the urgency of climate change.
Anecdote
(n.) a short account of an incident in someone's life
Eg. After dinner, Sarah entertained the group with a hilarious anecdote about her misadventures during a recent vacation.
Perspiration
n. sweat
Eg. She could feel beads of perspiration forming on her forehead as she anxiously awaited the exam results.
Scruple
n. A feeling of uneasiness about morality that keeps a person from doing something
Eg. She had no scruple about accepting the job offer, despite knowing it involved morally questionable tasks.
Allusion
A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.
Eg. The author's subtle allusion to Greek mythology added depth to the character's journey.
Clamor
(N.) Noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise
Eg. The clamor of the crowd grew louder as the protestors marched through the streets
Countenance
Facial expression or face (n); approve or tolerate (v)
Eg. Despite her nervousness, Sarah maintained a composed countenance during the presentation.
Consternation
(n) dismay, confusion, frustration
Eg. The unexpected announcement of massive layoffs caused consternation among the employees.
Parallelism
Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses
Eg. The author employed parallelism in her writing.
Suffocated
(v/adj) deprived of oxygen, prevented from breathing
Eg. She felt suffocated by the crowded subway cars.
Pestilential
(Adj) likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease
Eg. The pestilential odor emanating from the swamp signaled the presence of disease and decay in the air.
Avarice
(n.) a greedy desire, particularly for wealth
Eg. His insatiable avarice drove him to exploit every opportunity for personal gain.
Anaphora
A sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences.
Eg. MLK used Anaphora in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech (1963).