VOCABULARY #5

obsequious: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
He got the teacher coffee every morning. This was such an obsequious act that he was clearly doing solely for getting a good grade.

beatitude: a state of utmost bliss
My beatitude is sitting down in nature on a clear, warm sunny day surrounded by people I love.

bete noire:  a person or thing that someone dislikes very much
The Westboro Baptist Church are the betes noires of American society.

bode: be an omen of a particular outcome.
The use of chemical weapons in Syria could bode disaster for all sides involved. 

dank: disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold
The dank cave served shelter for hundreds, if not thousands, of bats. 

ecumenical:  worldwide or general in extent, influence, or application
The United Nations is often regarded as the ecumenical governing body of the world.

fervid: having or showing feelings that are very strong or too strong
fetid:having a strong, unpleasant smell
The house had such a fetid odor to it that it was evident that there was a decomposing body in there.

gargantuan: very large in size or amount
The United States has such a gargantuan debt that you'd have to spend $5 million dollars per day for 546 years to equal the amount of debt.

heyday: The period of greatest popularity, success, or power; prime.
In his heyday, Mac could run a 4.20 40-yard dash.

incubus: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
His older sister was such an incubus; no matter what he did, he was never good enough and his every move was scrutinized.

infrastructure: An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.
In order to build tall, the building's infrastructure must be solid.

inveigle: persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery.
Dee inveigled me into giving her money by promising to go to Homecoming with me.

kudos: raise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved
My presentation was so good, I kept getting kudos from nearly everyone for the entire day.

lagniappe: a small gift given
Breadsticks are often given to Olive Garden customers as lagniappes.

prolix: tedious and lengthy.
President William Henry Harrison's innagural speech was so prolix that it took him nearly two hours to read the over eight thousand words.

protégé: a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.
I was the man's protoge; I learned everything I needed to know about business from him.

prototype: an early sample or design.
The earliest prototype of the car had a few kinks that were hammered out and fixed by the new design. 

sycophant: a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
Sycophants are often referred to as "brown noses" in our contemporary society.


tautology:  needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
Phrases such as a round sphere or a new beginner are tautologies. 


truckle: To be servile or submissive
With a gun to his head, the hostage was truckled into doing the bidding of the criminal.