Daily Wordlist 07-Dec-09

	07-Dec-09 Daily Wordlist rebate [ n.REE-beyt; v. REE-beyt, ri-BEYT ]   [ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]   MEANING :   1. (n.) the return or refund of a part 2. (n.) a deduction from the total amount to be paid 3. (tr. v.) to deduct or return some of the payment 4. (tr. v.) to lessen 5. (intr. v.) to allow for a discount   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   To get rid of excess stock the supermarket offered a rebate on all purchases which were over a thousand rupees.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Campaigners said that the axing of the rebate had been bad news for the British economy, because little had been won in return. The Telegraph, Tony Blair's decision to cut the EU rebate cost £9.3billion, report shows, Christopher Hope, 9 November 2009.   aperture [ AP-er-cher ]   [ noun ]   MEANING :   1. a hole or opening 2. the adjustable opening in an optical instrument   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   When he peered through the aperture, he saw a strange world entirely different from the one in which he lived.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Nasa used such an approach, called coded aperture imaging, for the Swift satellite that was sent aloft to spot gamma ray sources. BBC, Sky-high system to aid soldiers, 12 August 2008.   malingerer [ muh'-LING-ger-uh' ]   [ noun ]   MEANING :   1. a person who pretends to be sick in order to avoid work 2. one who shirks responsibility by feigning illness   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   The malingerer was discharged from the hospital after the matron caught him dipping the thermometer in the hot tea.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   That much was true - but far from being a cowardly, drink-soaked malingerer, Private Hook's posthumous supporters are insisting, he was a teetotal lay preacher and was given a bonus for good conduct shortly before his heroics. The Telegraph, Battle to restore 'Zulu' hero Henry Hook's reputation, Jon Swaine, 15 August 2008.   preeminent [ pree-EM-uh'-nuh'nt ]   [ adjective ]   MEANING :   1. outstanding or a cut above the others 2. superior to or better than   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   He is a preeminent actor and most of the new entrants into the profession try to emulate him.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   One of America's preeminent political power couples made a rare joint appearance Friday, when Bill and Hillary Clinton took the stage at the former president's Clinton Global Initiative conference. CNN, Clintons share stage, kiss during global initiative event, Elise Labott, 26 September 2009.   meek [ meek ]   [ adjective ]   MEANING :   1. tame or spiritless 2. humility 3. simply imposed upon or submissive   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   The trainer subjected the wild ponies to harsh training until they became meek enough for children to ride.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Unlike Sankoh, Sesay was meek and almost subservient. BBC, Did Sierra Leone get war crimes justice? 6 November 2009.   Spelled Pronunciation Key Stress marks: [ CAPS ] indicates the primary stressed syllable, as in newspaper [NOOZ-pey-per ] and information [ in-fer-MEY-shuh' n ] CONSONANTS [b] boy, baby, rob [d] do, ladder, bed [f] food, offer, safe [g] get, bigger, dog [h] happy, ahead [j] jump, budget, age [k] can, speaker, stick [l] let, follow, still [m] make, summer, time [n] no, dinner, thin [ng] singer, think, long [p] put, apple, cup [r] run, marry, far, store [s] sit, city, passing, face [sh] she, station, push [t] top, better, cat [ch] church, watching, nature, witch [th] thirsty, nothing, math [th'] this, mother, breathe [v] very, seven, love [w] wear, away [hw] where, somewhat [y] yes, onion [z] zoo, easy, buzz [zh] measure, television, beige   VOWELS [a] apple, can, hat [ey] aid, hate, day [ah] arm, father, aha [air] air, careful, wear [aw] all, or, talk, lost, saw [e] ever, head, get [ee] eat, see, need [eer] ear, hero, beer [er] teacher, afterward, murderer [i] it, big, finishes [ahy] I, ice, hide, deny [o] odd, hot, woffle [oh] owe, road, below [oo] ooze, food, soup, sue [oo'] good, book, put [oi] oil, choice, toy [ou] out, loud, how [uh] up, mother, mud [uh'] about, animal, problem, circus [ur] early, bird, stirring   FOREIGN SOUNDS [a*] Fr. ami [kh*] Scot. loch, Ger. ach or ich [œ] Fr. feu, Ger. schön [r*] Fr. au revoir, Yiddish rebbe [uh*] Fr. oeuvre [y*] Fr. tu, Ger. über   SAMPLE NASALIZED VOWELS [an*] Fr. bien [ahn*] Fr. croissant [awn*] Fr. bon [œn*] Fr. parfum [in*] Port. Principe