Definition: an indirect reference

Derivatives: allusions

Sentence: When someone is described as a Cowardly Lion they could be referring to The Wizard of Oz or just making an allusion to someone being scared of their own shadow.

Part of Speech: noun

Link: Cowardly Lion

Definition: unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others; unselfish

Derivatives: altruistic,altruism, altruistically

Sentence: Mary was considered altruistic, or big hearted, because she gave up her Thanksgiving every year to help feed the homeless.

Part of Speech: adjective

Link: big hearted

Definition: to calm, especiallyby giving in to the demands of

Derivatives: appeases,appeased, appeasing, appeasable

Sentence: Sometimes wehave to appease people bymaking peace and makingcompromises.

Part of Speech: verb

Link: make peace

Definition: determined by personal judgment, not rule or reason; based on impulse

Derivative: arbitrarily

Sentence: I bought her a mug that said, “My way or the Highway” because she always made arbitrary decisions without listening to my ideas.

Part of Speech: adjective

Link: my way orthe highway

Definition: to attack physicallyor verbally

Derivatives: assails, assailed,assailing, assailer

Sentence: Little did we know when we went out for a sail, that we would be assailed by a whale.

Part of Speech: verbLink: attacked bya whale

Definition: lacking originality;overused; commonplace

Derivative: banality

Sentence: When people dress twins in the same outfit, this is banal, because it is not original.

Part of Speech: adjective

Link: not original

Definition: a mild or vague term used as a substitutefor one considered offensive or unpleasant

Derivative: euphemisms

Sentence: A euphemism for a used car is a “pre-owned vehicle.”

Part of Speech: noun Link: pre-ownedvehicle

Definition: motivated onlyby financial gain; greedy

Derivative: mercenaries

Sentence: The mercenaries were so greedy that they exploited the needy.

Part of Speech: adjective

Link: greedy exploited the needy

Definition: a group of symptomstypical of a particular disease orcondition

Derivative: syndromes

Sentence: Diarrhea, bloating, and excessive gas are symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Part of Speech: noun

Link: IrritableBowel Syndrome

Definition: to stain the honor of someone or something

Derivatives: taints, tainted,tainting

Sentence: Putting black paint on the map of the United States tends to taint its reputation.

Part of Speech: verb

Link: black paint