Daily Wordlist 19-Jan-10

	19-Jan-10 Daily Wordlist explicate [ EK-spli-keyt ]   [ transitive verb ]   MEANING :   1. to explain or make clear the meaning of 2. to develop   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   You should have paid attention when the professor explicated the differences between relativity and the quantum theory.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Dr David Hardman, principal lecturer in learning development at London Metropolitan University, said: "It is very difficult to conduct true experiments that would explicate a causal relationship between IQ and religious belief. The Telegraph, Intelligent people 'less likely to believe in God', Graeme Paton, 11 June 2008.   verdigris [ VUR-di-grees ]   [ noun ]   MEANING :   1. a bluish or green sheen which forms on copper, brass or bronze surfaces which are exposed to the atmosphere over a long period of time 2. a bluish or green powder consisting of basic cupric acetate used as a fungicide and a paint pigment   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   His job was to remove the verdigris by polishing the brass buckles and epaulets before the parade.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Verdigris stained statues, of heroes and statesmen, rub shoulders with kings and common, self-made men. BBC, Where I live: Leeds, 29 September, 2005.   insurmountable [ in-ser-MOUN-tuh'-buh'l ]   [ adjective ]   MEANING :   1. insuperable or that which cannot be surpassed or overcome 2. impossible to pass over or conquer   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   He overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles by determination and hard work.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Mr Brown told the BBC the barriers were "huge" but "not insurmountable". BBC, Copenhagen climate deal 'faces problems' - Gordon Brown, 16 December 2009.   drone [ drohn ]   [ noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb ]   MEANING :   1. (n.) a continuous buzzing or humming sound 2. (n.) an unmanned aircraft used for launching aerial attacks and reconnaissance purposes 3. (n.) the male bees which are without stings and do not make honey 4. (tr. v.) to make a continuous sound which is dull and monotonous 5. (tr. v.) to speak in a dull, monotonous tone 6. (intr. v.) to utter in a dull, monotonous tone   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   The drone of the machines at the construction site was disturbing the office staff in the neighbouring building.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   Public criticism of the use of drones has been muted since the killing of Baitullah Mehsud, who had ordered suicide bombings and fedayeen commando attacks throughout Pakistan in which hundreds of civilians were killed. The Telegraph, US to escalate drone attacks on Pakistan, Javed Siddiq, 4 December 2009.   brink [ bringk ]   [ noun ]   MEANING :   1. the edge of land bordering water or of a steep place like a cliff 2. verge or a critical or crucial point of a situation beyond which either catastrophe or success results   USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :   The two neighbouring countries were on the brink of war because their sovereigns were at loggerheads with each other.   USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :   But the scene here in Macau was far from festive last year, when the financial crisis put the brakes on tourist dollars, suspended construction on several casino projects and forced the American gaming conglomerate to the brink of collapse. CNN, Las Vegas developer reshapes Macau, Eunice Yoon, 17 December 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