Vocabulary #4

obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

Ex. Obsequious service is expected, and one generally leaves a tip.

beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
Ex. All of our actions are to be directed toward such beatitude.

bete- noire- a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded 

Ex. All around the world, Hitler is known as a bete-noire.
bode - verb indicate by signs

Ex. A knock at the door distracted his response, which wouldn’t bode well for either of them.
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid

Ex. A cold shiver went down his spine just thinking about it, which is a primal fear of dark and dank places.
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions

Ex. Ecumenical pilgrimage now must also be between churches which are in mission together.
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
Ex. Their fervid attacks on image worship led to their expulsion.

fetid - adj. offensively malodorous

Ex. The mine tunnel narrowed and the pair was forced to hunch down under the low ceiling that closed in the fetid air around them like a soaked and musty blanket.
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky

Ex. Gargantuan communications tasks can be achieved this way makes you realize how far we've come.
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

Ex. The formations are magnificent and anyone interested in cave photography should have a heyday in there.
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream

Ex. The incubus and succubus of the middle ages are sometimes regarded as spiritual beings, but they were held to give very real proof of their bodily existence.
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization

Ex. Assess what damage you can and rebuild the critical infrastructure systems.
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

Ex. We cannot inveigle him into putting pen to paper.
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation

Ex. He received kudos from everyone on his performance.
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)

Ex. My boss gives a pair of socks as a lagniappe to the customers.
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length

Ex. His controversial writings are vigorous if prolix and his theological essays have little merit.
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career

Ex. The old philosopher even went so far as to call his protege the French Tibullus.
prototype - noun a standard or typical example

Ex. The prototype is believed to suffer whatever is done to the image.
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage

Ex. The sycophant publicly pronounced the formula of exclusion of certain unworthy persons from the celebration of the mysteries of the fig.
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true

Ex. Avoid tautology which is the needless repetition of the same idea.
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering

Ex. Truckle bed drawn out at night, where the younger children could sleep.