Read Online The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eugene Ehrlich
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discomfiture (dis-KUM-fi-ch e r) noun
embarrassment, confusion; frustration.
discomfort (dis-KUM-f e rt) noun
1. uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.
2. ( verb ) make uncomfortable or uneasy.
Do not confuse the verb discomfort with the verb discomfit . Many of today's speakers and writers are not aware at all of the word discomfit , and when they occasionally meet the word in a book think it is a misprint. The most assiduous of such readers may turn to a dictionary for help, but the next time they meet the word they must go back to the dictionary. Rest assured that discomfit , meaning disconcert , is still in use and serves a good purpose, as does discomfort , a word that gives readers and writers no trouble.
Related words: discomfortable adjective , discomfortingly adverb .
disconsolate (dis-KON-s e -lit) adjective
1. disappointed; unhappy at the loss of something.
2. hopelessly unhappy; gloomy; inconsolable.
Related words: disconsolately adverb , disconsolation (dis- KON -s e -LAY-sh e n) and disconsolateness both nouns .
discreet (di-SKREET) adjective
1. showing caution and good judgment in what one does; judicious; not giving away secrets.
2. unostentatious, not showy or obtrusive.
Do not confuse discreet with discrete , which see.
Related words: discreetly adverb , discreetness and discretion (dis-KRESH- e n) both nouns .
discrete (di-SKREET) adjective
discontinuous; detached from others; individually distinct.
Seldom can the transposition of two letters in a word create as much misunderstanding as in the mistaken use of discrete , individually distinct , in place of discreet , judicious, unostentatious , when the latter word is clearly intended. This error appears to stem from the tendency of unskilled writers to want to appear learned by using relatively uncommon words in place of common words. (Or could it merely be a keyboarding error that goes undiscovered by word processing features that check one's spelling?) Whatever the reason, discrete in place of discreet is an error that can hold a writer up to ridicule as well as to misunderstanding. Take care to avoid this confusion.
Related words: discretely adverb , discreteness noun .
disingenuous ( DIS -in-JEN-yoo- e s) adjective
insincere, not frank; hypocritically ingenuous.
Related words: disingenuously adverb , disingenuousness noun .
disinterested (dis-IN-t e - RES -tid) adjective
impartial; not influenced by self-interest.
The adjective disinterested increasingly is misconstrued as a synonym for uninterested . So prevalent has this misuse become that descriptive dictionaries give uninterested as a second meaning of disinterested , although some supply the label colloquial for this sense, implicitly suggesting that this is the way ordinary people use the word and, perhaps, that the best speakers and writers do not accept this definition. An argument is made by descriptivists that disinterested historically was defined as indifferent; not interested , and that many people still use the word in this sense. Most careful 20th-century writers, however, choose not to accept this attitude. They find satisfaction in promoting the sense of impartial for disinterested , and you should cast your lot with them and indicate by the way you frame your sentences that you mean disinterested to be taken in the sense of impartial .
Related words: disinterestedly adverb , disinterestedness noun .
disparage (di-SPAR-ij) verb
belittle; speak of in a slighting way.
Related words: disparager and disparagement both nouns , disparaging adjective , disparagingly adverb .
disparate (DIS-p e r-it) adjective
different in kind; without relation or comparison.
Related words: disparately adverb ,
discomfiture (dis-KUM-fi-ch e r) noun
embarrassment, confusion; frustration.
discomfort (dis-KUM-f e rt) noun
1. uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.
2. ( verb ) make uncomfortable or uneasy.
Do not confuse the verb discomfort with the verb discomfit . Many of today's speakers and writers are not aware at all of the word discomfit , and when they occasionally meet the word in a book think it is a misprint. The most assiduous of such readers may turn to a dictionary for help, but the next time they meet the word they must go back to the dictionary. Rest assured that discomfit , meaning disconcert , is still in use and serves a good purpose, as does discomfort , a word that gives readers and writers no trouble.
Related words: discomfortable adjective , discomfortingly adverb .
disconsolate (dis-KON-s e -lit) adjective
1. disappointed; unhappy at the loss of something.
2. hopelessly unhappy; gloomy; inconsolable.
Related words: disconsolately adverb , disconsolation (dis- KON -s e -LAY-sh e n) and disconsolateness both nouns .
discreet (di-SKREET) adjective
1. showing caution and good judgment in what one does; judicious; not giving away secrets.
2. unostentatious, not showy or obtrusive.
Do not confuse discreet with discrete , which see.
Related words: discreetly adverb , discreetness and discretion (dis-KRESH- e n) both nouns .
discrete (di-SKREET) adjective
discontinuous; detached from others; individually distinct.
Seldom can the transposition of two letters in a word create as much misunderstanding as in the mistaken use of discrete , individually distinct , in place of discreet , judicious, unostentatious , when the latter word is clearly intended. This error appears to stem from the tendency of unskilled writers to want to appear learned by using relatively uncommon words in place of common words. (Or could it merely be a keyboarding error that goes undiscovered by word processing features that check one's spelling?) Whatever the reason, discrete in place of discreet is an error that can hold a writer up to ridicule as well as to misunderstanding. Take care to avoid this confusion.
Related words: discretely adverb , discreteness noun .
disingenuous ( DIS -in-JEN-yoo- e s) adjective
insincere, not frank; hypocritically ingenuous.
Related words: disingenuously adverb , disingenuousness noun .
disinterested (dis-IN-t e - RES -tid) adjective
impartial; not influenced by self-interest.
The adjective disinterested increasingly is misconstrued as a synonym for uninterested . So prevalent has this misuse become that descriptive dictionaries give uninterested as a second meaning of disinterested , although some supply the label colloquial for this sense, implicitly suggesting that this is the way ordinary people use the word and, perhaps, that the best speakers and writers do not accept this definition. An argument is made by descriptivists that disinterested historically was defined as indifferent; not interested , and that many people still use the word in this sense. Most careful 20th-century writers, however, choose not to accept this attitude. They find satisfaction in promoting the sense of impartial for disinterested , and you should cast your lot with them and indicate by the way you frame your sentences that you mean disinterested to be taken in the sense of impartial .
Related words: disinterestedly adverb , disinterestedness noun .
disparage (di-SPAR-ij) verb
belittle; speak of in a slighting way.
Related words: disparager and disparagement both nouns , disparaging adjective , disparagingly adverb .
disparate (DIS-p e r-it) adjective
different in kind; without relation or comparison.
Related words: disparately adverb ,
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