WORD PICTURE ACADEMY

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Blog Post Links to Elysium's Passage
https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/ep-blog-posts

WORD PICTURE ACADEMY

So what's WORD PICTURE ACADEMY supposed to be about? 

In the words of Sir Francis Bacon 

Words are images of matter; to fall in love with them is to fall in love with a picture.
                                                    

Vincent Van Gogh's dream-inspired paintings were among the best, but dream-inspired word pictures can be just as creative, if not more so, since the word canvas is not limited to what rests on an easel but on infinitely. What's not limited to the material world, can last forever in one form or another. Oral traditions that last thousands of years prove this.

When will a time come when Shakespeare or the Bible not be quoted and read? Probably never, as long as there remains a semblance of civilization. Inspired writing is immortal because it speaks to the heart. 

Now, after over eleven years completing my seven-part Elysium's Passage novel series I intend on developing an online English language course for anyone wishing to upgrade their English skills, particularly for students and ESL immigrants. It may take a while since I'm still putting the final touches on the series as I continue to create more curriculum for this online academy. It may be a live group tutorial or a monetized course that's available at any time at no cost. This post gives an indication of what content will be offered. 

In designing this curriculum, I'm currently selecting approximately 1,000 words to help with reading comprehension and facilitate more creative verbal/written expressions. 

By the way, if you know of someone who may appreciate the contents of this post, send them the link for this post at https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/word-picture-academy 

 

OBJECTIVES

Online tutorials will endeavour to achieve the following objectives:

Creative Expression

Create word pictures that engage the reader with inspiration, amusement, entertainment, and teaching. The student will be taught how to not only ‘tell’ but ‘show’ their story with creative expressions. For example, we might write the sunset was beautiful. But that’s telling, not showing.

Instead, we seek to create a picture of a beautiful sunset. The reader doesn’t need to be told about it but can see it painted in their imagination it with beautiful word pictures.

For example, from Book Four of Elysium’s Surreal Adventures: Later that evening, as I stood talking with Rhom on the port side, I witnessed brilliant aqua waves interspersed with currents of glowing turquoise. If that wasn’t enough, the evening skies streamed with wisps of magenta offset by shades of deep indigo. And the wind; there was no other description than to say melodic, coruscating with mystical intimations.

Creative Thinking

Words can be an effective tool to help create new worlds. A hundred years ago, we didn’t have words such as virtual reality, biosphere, noosphere, spacecraft, multiverse, etc, to open us to new dimensions of thought and fractals of infinite possibilities.   

Business Communication

The Principle of the Slight Edge sets one apart from others. Having a large vocabulary with proper grammar will increase the odds of a high income. At least it can't hurt. A street sweeper does not require an extensive vocabulary to do their job, but a lawyer or professor will. So, who will make more money? There are no guarantees but why put limitations on the potential for greater earnings and expressive thought? Whether it's writing a well-thought-out resume, internal memo, sales pitch or proposal, having English skills is essential for success.

Social Mobility

We may be content and satisfied with our social limitations, especially if our family and friends are stuck in a sphere of narrow possibilities. However, once we expand our language skills, new opportunities become possible; we would never want to go back to a restrictive world that is stifled with few options to achieve higher quality friendships and careers.

We can easily drop socially downward but are less likely to rise upward without appropriate language skills to navigate through life. Being able to express ourselves in ways others that are properly understood is necessary for our concerns to be addressed. An effective communicator will not be ignored but be taken seriously.

Comprehension Skills

The quality of literature or communication one exposes oneself, be it entertainment or intellectual stimulation, will largely be determined by the extent of one's ability to comprehend what’s being said. Therefore, reading or listening to enlightened communication will be limited because it’s no fun to remain in the dark while others get it and you don’t. Obviously, this will enrich and open one to new worlds of inward adventures of vicarious reality.  

Precise Words

To effectively communicate, it is necessary to have an appropriate repertoire of words when selecting the highest and best words to express ideas. Without that, it’s like painting a picture with just a few colours, no tones, hues, contrast, just bland. No one will be interested in looking at it because it's boring. No one who has a rich inward life wants to listen to banal and bland conversations that don’t interest us or engage us with stimulating thought.

Instead, we generally find it preferable to communicate with those who can engage us with precise words and expressions. Less is more when speech is precisely expressed with fewer words providing more meaning and description. Learning this skill will vivify communication by culling out annoying, superfluous words, be they spoken or written. This will give new confidence and a commanding advantage while engaged in discourse.

Punctuation

By understanding how to use punctuation for effective written communication, we are more apt to get the attention of the reader. For example, in using semi-colons effectively, we can create more interesting sentences that need not be run-ons or choppy short sentences. A few examples from Elysium's Elixir, my sixth novel, illustrate this:

They very well may, though I’m not sure it ends there; a thousand years is nothing to the universe.

There’s no telling how many; it could be twelve, twenty-four or more, depending on the conscious evolution of the subject.

Many scientists might call this impossible, but it’s not; the inherent conatus of the universe is to expand perpetually, including human’s nascent consciousness.

The use of exclamation marks! colons: semi-colons; ellipses… dashes – are all means to create more effective and engaging writing.

Proper Grammar and Pronunciation

Common errors in everyday speech scream out that one is grammatically ignorant. These verbal shortcomings can easily be corrected once the mistake is pointed out. For example, one of my pet peeves is: “Me and Dan are going to… “ Rather, Dan and I are going to …”  It amazes me how many get this wrong.

Also, a word that few get right is the word “naturopath, or naturopathic. For some reason, many insist on saying naturalpath, even after you tell them there’s no such word. Ask any naturopath.

This course will point out many common grammatical mistakes, so no one needs to fear sounding ignorant. 

Foreign Words and Phrases

Certain foreign words can often help us understand what is only sometimes expressed in English, at least succinctly. For example, various German words, such as weltanschauung, zeitgeist, gestalt, weltshmirtz, and wanderlust, often contain many shades of meaning captured in one word that would take much clarifying in English.

Or, to use a Latin expression, to say, after closing a major deal at work, Vini, Vidi, Vici, may be more effective to proclaim that instead of ‘I came, I saw, I conquered. Definitely, something is lost in the translation.

In French, there are many words and phrases of distinction that often become as natural as English in expressing embellished speech. Some examples might include coup de grâce (death blow), esprit de corps (camaraderie, bonding, solidarity, fellowship), raison d'etre (reason for living), élan vital (vital force or impulse of life), c’est la vie (that’s life).   

The following sites may provide students with many useful foreign phrases in French, German, and Spanish.

https://www.mondly.com/french-phrases-expressions 
https://www.mondly.com/blog/cool-latin-phrases/ 
https://www.mondly.com/german-phrases-expressions 
https://www.mondly.com/spanish-phrases-expressions 

Logic

Logic is important in writing since it establishes the credibility of the writer and the positions being advanced. There are many logical fallacies, so it's good to know what they are. I've identified many of them in this blog post. https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/it-s-logical 

Though the tutorials won't get into teaching this sidebar information, students will be encouraged to become familiar with these pitfalls so they don't use them or at least recognize when others do and can call them out on it. 

1. Argumentum ad hominem. One of the most common errors in logic that all too often occurs in politics is where the presenter is attacked rather than the position being advanced by the presenter. It's a cheap hit for those who don't know how to respond to the argument, so they go after the presenter for reasons that generally have nothing to do with what was being said. 

2. Red herring. A red herring is an attempt to shift focus from the debate at hand by introducing an irrelevant point. Example: Losing a tooth can be scary; it’s a good thing there’s a Tooth Fairy. 

3. Straw man. A straw man argument argues against a hyperbolic, inaccurate version of the opposition rather than their actual argument. Example: Erin thinks we need to stop using all plastics right now to save the planet from climate change. 

4 Equivocation. A logical equivocation is a statement crafted to mislead or confuse readers or listeners by using multiple meanings or interpretations of a word or simply through unclear phrasing. Example: While I have a clear plan for the campus budget that accounts for every dollar spent, my opponent simply wants to throw money at special interest projects. 

5 Slippery slope. With a slippery slope fallacy, the arguer claims a specific series of events will follow one starting point, typically with no supporting evidence for this chain of events. Example: If we make an exception for Bijal’s service dog, then other people will want to bring their dogs. Then everybody will bring their dog, and before you know it, our restaurant will be overrun with dogs, their slobber, their hair, and all the noise they make, and nobody will want to eat here anymore. 

6 Hasty generalization. This fallacy is a statement made after considering just one or a few examples rather than relying on more extensive research to back up the claim. It’s important to keep in mind that what constitutes sufficient research depends on the issue at hand and the statement being made about it. For example, I felt nauseated both times I ate pizza from Georgio’s, so I must be allergic to something in pizza. 

7 Appeal to authority. In an appeal to authority, the arguer claims an authority figure’s expertise to support a claim despite this expertise being irrelevant or overstated. Example: If you want to be healthy, you need to stop drinking coffee. I read it on a fitness blog. 

8 False dilemma. This is also known as a false dichotomy, which claims there are only two options in a given situation. Often, these two options are extreme opposites of each other, failing to acknowledge that other, more reasonable options exist. Example: If you don’t support my decision, you were never really my friend. 

9 Bandwagon fallacy. Here, the arguer claims that a specific action is the right thing to do because it’s popular. Example: Of course, it’s fine to wait until the last minute to write your paper. Everybody does it!

10 Appeal to ignorance. Such an appeal is a claim that something must be true because it hasn’t been proven false. It can also be a claim that something must be false because it hasn’t been proven true. This is also known as the burden of proof fallacy. Example: There must be fairies living in our attic because nobody’s ever proven that there aren’t fairies living in our attic.

11 Circular argument. A fallacy that uses the same statement as both the premise and the conclusion. No new information or justification is introduced. Example: Peppers are the easiest vegetable to grow because I think peppers are the easiest vegetable to grow. 

12 Sunk cost fallacy. With this, the arguer justifies their decision to continue a specific course of action by the amount of time or money they’ve already spent on it. Example: I’m not enjoying this book, but I bought it, so I have to finish reading it. 

13 Appeal to pity. Such an appeal attempts to sway a reader’s or listener’s opinion by provoking them emotionally. Example: I know I should have been on time for the interview, but I woke up late and felt really bad about it, so the stress of being late made it hard to concentrate on driving here.

14 Causal fallacy. This implies a relationship between two things where one can’t actually be proven. Example: When ice cream sales are up, so are shark attacks. Therefore, buying ice cream increases your risk of being bitten by a shark. 

15 Appeal to hypocrisy. Also known as a tu quoque fallacy, this is a rebuttal that responds to one claim with reactive criticism rather than with a response to the claim itself. Example: “You don’t have enough experience to be the new leader.” “Neither do you!”

16. Cherry-picking. Selecting data to support a claim rather than drawing a logical conclusion from a broad body of evidence. Example: “Just look at the temperatures here this summer. Now we know for sure global warming is a fact.”

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SUMMARY OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

- Primarily, it is to become empowered with a solid and robust lifelong vocabulary by assimilating hundreds of essential words that are foundational for achieving the objectives listed below. We will avoid obscure words that aren't used in everyday life but concentrate on the most relevant and powerful words being used in meaningful conversations, lectures, articles and quality books. 

- Creating a lifetime love for words and creative expression.

- Expand thinking into a higher awareness of reality.

- Express with oral and written precision.

- Understand educated and influential sources of communication, spoken and written.

- Becoming aware of proper punctuation and pronunciation.

- Effective to-the-point business communication.

- Understanding logical fallacies and logical validity

- Apply learning methodologies that are fun and practical.

- Anyone can benefit from these tutorials, however, the target audience is high school students contemplating a university education along with anyone studying English as a Second Language (ESL).  

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GENERAL COMMENTS

For good reasons, there is some controversy on the correlation of a large vocabulary with intelligence. Obviously, an expanded vocabulary can bring with it a temptation to use our verbal abilities to promote and display an air of intellectual superiority. Such hubris is to be disavowed; language should not separate but unite us in greater understanding.

For this reason, wisdom is required in how we express ourselves and to whom. Write and speak with the intent to be understood with clarity, rather than impress by obfuscation. (Did that last word, impress you?)

I found a discussion on this and more in comments from the Quora Digest website, which I have pasted below as to what a quality vocabulary should be and what it shouldn't be abused for.  

It is literally unavoidable: you put more words into your mind, and your mind will start humming like a well-greased engine. In other words, Grow your vocabulary, and you WILL get smarter. And just to show how deep that effect goes, studies have shown that when you get serious about learning words, using them, and reading more – your brain actually changes. In other words, vocabulary does really make you more intelligent. And I’m sure you’ll agree with me: “stupid” people don’t go very far in life.

Vocabulary breadth, as evidenced by a person's speech, is an excellent metric for intelligence. A person who uses precise vocabulary correctly when speaking and whose speech is similar to standard academic English is generally able to produce language that is more sophisticated when writing. 

The distinction between vocabulary words and concepts is artificial. You don't speak using words you know you don't understand, and you can't understand many words without understanding the related concepts. Take the common science term evaporate. Who would use that sort of word metaphorically when they speak without also understanding conceptually what it refers to? No, you reach for that word precisely because you understand it and believe it's the best tool for the job.

The smarter the speaker, the better the toolkit. In brief, the size of the working vocabulary is more closely correlated with IQ than any other single factor. Of course, this rule of thumb is subject to the usual common sense caveats.

Some people intentionally use simple language so as to facilitate understanding or in keeping with contemporary literary fashion. Ernest Hemingway is perhaps the most famous example of this: a brilliant man and a great writer, he showed that even simple words have power in the hands of a master. And Winston Churchill, another great writer and brilliant man, famously wrote, “The short words are best, and the old words are the best of all.”

The size of vocabulary is correlated with education and reading, both one’s own and that of one’s parents. Studies find that the children of uneducated parents are exposed to far fewer words than the children of educated ones when young, and needless to say, those who are widely read pick up most words. To make this a valid criterion, one has to take into account an individual’s literacy and educational status.

Then there are the jargonites — academics, businessmen, and professionals who use fancy-Dan synonyms to dress their pedestrian thoughts in a bishop’s cope. In the words of Ernest Hemingway: “Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.” 

A large vocabulary is a marker for academic accomplishments. Because of this, sadly, the use of lesser-known words and complexity in language has become an ingroup/outgroup marker within the academic community. And, since academe has the usual share of all-hat-no-cattle types, complexity has, at some level, become an anti-marker for intelligence. People who use ten-dollar words within academe are more likely to be less secure and less accomplished within that group and, therefore, more invested in proving that they belong.

The larger one’s vocabulary is, the greater their verbal intelligence is. An intelligent person will almost by definition, have a lot of things going on in their heads. Eventually, they’ll seek to communicate these ideas in some fashion, and a complex vocabulary is often necessary to describe what it is linguistically they’re thinking about.

An intelligent person who’s learned to broadly communicate effectively may deliberately use a simplified vocabulary, but that is different from “having a simple vocabulary”. I’d be inclined to refer to it more as an “adaptive vocabulary”. A version of a language that they can translate into, to ease communication with those that have less expertise with whatever it is they’re trying to communicate.

Most people will judge a person by the words they choose and how they speak. For instance, a sentence that begins with “I seen” is one that has immediately lost credibility.

It’s the intelligent, the smart and the clear thinkers who go places. Success comes to clever people because they know how to spot and grab opportunities. They’re that smart.

More words mean richer and more to-the-point thinking

Some psychologists think that a large vocabulary is one of the most vital indicators of overall intelligence.

In nearly all cases, using simple words is better than complex words. Nothing is more irritating than listening to someone using opaque language that leaves the audience confused.

It goes without saying that their verbal facility certainly has an edge over those whose vocabulary is restricted.

By the way, a good and evolving command of the English vocabulary naturally feeds and fuels the five skills sets often associated with English mastery, and they are: Reading, Listening, Thinking, Speaking and Writing.

I believe a person’s clarity of thoughts and opinions, be it about any affair, when we are meeting them would be first quality to make an impression. When a person is able to express clearly and put their ideas out distinctly, it evidently makes a breakthrough leading to further open conversations. 

If you’re well-read, know a lot of words, and speak correctly, you’ll come off as someone coming from a wealthy background, literate, smart, and maybe a little arrogant. Using a lot of slang and swear words will put you on the other extreme.

Yes, though I would consider the clarity of their statements more of a sign of intelligence than overcomplicated vocabulary.

While it is the case that more intelligent people know and use more words, if you can’t express what you’re saying clearly and in simple terms, then it’s more intellectual posturing than intelligence.

Really smart people don’t show off their vocabulary. They use ordinary words as much as possible. You start sounding stupid when you say, “Extinguish the illumination” instead of “Turn off the lights” or “The fluid supply in my writing implement is exhausted” instead of “My pen is out of ink.”

Vocabulary can be learned but the way it is used will provide a good guide to intelligence. Never mistake education for intelligence. Many are educated but few display intelligence.

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SAMPLE WORDS

As stated previously, I'm in the process of compiling a list of 1,000 highly relevant words that most students might wish to learn if they don't know them already. I'm careful not to include obscure words by those that likely wouldn't be used in everyday life. The following words are part of what I plan to introduce to make second nature for speaking, reading, and thinking. 

1.  Prescient… perceptive, psychic, revelatory, clairvoyant, prophetic

2.  Precipitous… hasty, quick, rash, impulsive. Also… steep, vertical, sheer

3.  Assiduous… diligent, persevering, unremitting, industrious, persist

4.  Arduous… difficult, laborious, gruelling, strenuous

5.  Inexorable… relentless, unstoppable, inevitable, unalterable

6.  Resplendent... Splendid, stunning, glittering, brilliant, dazzling, glorious, magnificent, alluring

7.  Resonance... Reverberation, echo, significance, timbre, hint       

8.  Intrepid. Brave, fearless, gallant, audacious, dauntless, valiant, heroic

9.  Inveterate.. incorrigible, adamant, entrenched, ensconced, embedded

10. Wont… accustomed, predilection, routine, habitual, tendency

11. Inadvertent… chance, involuntary, unintended, accidental

12. Serendipitous… unforeseen, unanticipated, unexpected

13. Intimation… hint, insinuation, inkling, allusion

14. Intimidate… threaten, frighten, daunt, alarm, bully

15. Integrity… honesty, veracity, uprightness, truthfulness

16. Gauche… tasteless, awkward, tacky, vulgar, uncouth, graceless, callow, clumsy 

17. Enervate… deplete, drain, debilitate, devitalize, tire, enfeeble, exhaust, knackered, fatigued

18. Asperity… harsh, severity, brusqueness, sharpness, astringency, stern, curt

19. Cavort… frolic, prance, romp, frisk, skip, play

20. Convivium… convivial, joviality, celebratory, sociable, hospitable, genial.

21. Congenial… agreeable, friendly, pleasant, affable, hospitable.

22. Loquacious… garrulous, verbose, glib

23. Taciturn… reserved, introverted, distant, quiet, aloof

24. Reticent… unforthcoming, reserved, uncommunicative, quiet, discreet, aloof

25. Insouciance… nonchalance, disregard, indifference, detachment, unconcern, detachment

26. Impertinence… insolence, impudence, brazenness

27. Elucidate…, explain, clarify, illuminate, explicate, reveal, illustrate

28. Inordinate… excessive, unwarranted, exorbitant, extravagant

29. Extraordinary… unusual, amazing, astonishing, peculiar, surprising, bizarre

30. Perspicuous… lucid, pellucid, limpid

31. Perpetual… unceasing, everlasting, inexorable,

32. Obdurate… Inflexible

33. Impetuous… hasty, impulsive, reckless, spontaneous

34. Impertinent… impudent, brazen, rude, brash, disrespectful

35. Impudent… sassy, presumptuous, cheeky, impolite

36. Presumptuous… inconsiderate, impolite, rash, presuming

37. Audacious…  overconfident, daring, risky, bold, courageous, foolhardy, cheeky

38. Pusillanimous… cowardly, faint-hearted, spineless, timid, nervous, tremulous, quivering

39. Discrete… separate, detached, isolated, unconnected, distinct.

40. Deleterious… detrimental, harmful, toxic, lethal, ruinous, injurious

41. Venomous… noxious, malicious, virulent, abusive

42. Vituperative… scurrilous, rancorous, cruel, spiteful, malevolent

43. Beatific… blissful, radiant, heavenly, ecstatic, adorable, serene, sublime, virtuous

44. Euphoric… ecstatic, joyful, exhilarated, exultant, elated, jubilant

45. Resplendent… stunning, glittering, brilliant, dazzling, glorious, magnificent, alluring

46. Inimitable… unique, incomparable, one-off, unmatched.

47. Coruscate (coruscating)… sparkling, scintillate, glisten

48. Glissade... a skilful glide down snow or ice, such as when skiing down a mountain

49. Abrogate... to revoke

50. Anachronism… relic, holdover, left-over, archaic

51. Cajole… coax, persuade through flattery, entice, persuade, inveigle

52. Conciliatory… pacifying, assuage, appease, mollify, agreement

53. Demagogue…  agitator, haranguer, often political manipulator

54. Diatribe… tirade, rant, verbal assault, harsh criticism, invective

55. Dilatory… laggard, remiss, tardy, wasting time, negligent, slack, flagging

56. Bourgeoise… middle-class social order, values and practices

57. Equivocate… quibble, prevaricate, fudge, vacillate, ambiguous - to deceive

58. Fatuous… unintelligent, foolish, absurd, meaningless, inane, stupid, pointless

59. Gaffe… blunder, mistake, error, faux pas, blooper

60. Garrulous…  Talkative, verbose, voluble, loquacious, effusive, wordy, chatty

61.  Hoi Polloi… masses, ordinary people, public, commoners, populace, proletariat

62.  Hubris… arrogance, exaggerated pride, over self-confidence

63.  Iconoclast… revolutionary, radical, rebel, reformer who opposed certain beliefs

64.   Impede… block, obstruct, hamper, hinder, encumber, delay, inhibit

65.  Inchoate… immature, incipient, budding, embryonic, emergent, undeveloped

66.  Indefatigable- unfailing vigour, persistence, untiring

67.  Inundate… flood, overwhelm, swamp, submerge, engulf, drown

68.  Martinet… tyrant, despot, disciplinarian, hardliner adhering to rules

69.  Nonplussed… baffled, perplexed, confused, stumped, befuddled, flummoxed

70.  Panache… elan, flamboyance, distinctive, stylish elegance, flair, confidence

71.  Pillory… ridicule, deride, denounce, scorn, humiliate, brand, criticize

72.  Pulchritude… pulchritudinous, beautiful, physical attractiveness, comeliness

73.  Surreptitious… furtive, covert, clandestine, sneaky, sly, underhanded, secretive 

74.  Truculent… fierce, savage nature

75.  Knackered… exhausted, fatigued, bushed, tired, worn out

76.  Intemperance… unrestrained, excess, indulgent, hedonism, greed, gluttony

77.  Intonation… tone, inflexion, pitch, chant, lilt, timbre, accentuation

78.  Deluge… flood, inundation, torrent, surge, cascade, overflow, monsoon, saturate

79.  Demarcate… boundaries, define, fix, delimit, segregate, establish, differentiate

80.  Eclectic… diverse, varied, heterogenous, assorted

81.  Foursquare… forthright, frank, honest, firm, unyielding

82.  Insignia… emblem, crest, symbol, logo, motif, sign

83.  Antiquated… obsolete, archaic, antediluvian, outmoded, old-fashioned 

84.  Maelstrom… whirlpool, vortex, tumult, turbulence, turmoil, flurry

85.  Mendacious… deceitful, untrue, dishonest, spurious, inaccurate, untruthful

86.  Meritorious… commendable, admirable, praiseworthy, laudable, estimable

87.  Obdurate… obstinance, adamant, inflexible, implacable, unyielding, immovable

88.  Obeisance… deference, homage, loyalty, bow, curtsy, respect, genuflection

89.  Perambulate… stroll, walk about, traverse

90.  Reverie… daydream, trance, musing, contemplation

91.  Somniferous… inducing sleep, hypnogogic, soporific

92.  Soporific… tranquillizing, calming, turgid, tedious, hypnotic, sleep-inducing

93.  Talisman… charm, amulet, mascot, associated with magic

94.  Vamoose… flee, bolt, escape, make off, run off, leave hurriedly, hasty retreat

95.  Wallow… flounder, stumble, welter, stagger, lurch, reel

96.  Zeitgeist… spirit of the times, characteristic outlook

97.  Wallop… trash, defeat, thump, whack, hit, blow, smack, punch, bash

98.  Vouch… to substantiate, vow, assure, promise

99.  Unanimity… harmony, unison, accord, agreement, union, concord, consent

100. Oscillation… wavering, fluctuation, alteration, swaying, vacillation, undulation

1.        

2.       Unanimity… harmony, unison, accord, agreement, union, concord, consent

3.       Oscillation… wavering, fluctuation, alteration, swaying, vacillation, undulation

4.       Undulate… ripple, wavelike, surge, roll, rise and fall

5.       Triage… sort out, sift, allocate in order of urgency

6.       Tremulous… quivering, trembling, nervous, shy, timorous, skitterish, fearful, timid, bashful

7.       Trenchant…  forceful, incisive, forthwith, caustic, scathing, effective, sharp, biting

8.       Opaque… misty, muddy, smokey, milky, obscure

9.       Translucent… luminous, glowing, gleaming, lucid, transparent, lustrous, glow, clear

10.  Malaise… discomfort, illness, unease, disquiet, malady, melancholy, discontent, disorder

11.  Perfunctory… mechanical, unthinking, careless, cursory, routine, automatic, superficial

12.  Quid Pro Quo… tradeoff, deal, exchange, tit for tat, bribe, this for that

13.  Scintillating… sparkling, dazzling, shining, glittering, dazzling, animated, stimulating, brilliant

14.  Quintessential… archetypal, model, exemplary, ideal, prototypical

15.  Vitriol… bitterness, venom, contempt, bile, viciousness, spleen, scorn, maliciousness

16.  Sycophant… flatterer, minion, gaining attention with powerful or influential people

17.  Cacophony… disharmonious, discordant, stridency, bombastic

18.  Ennui… weariness, tedium, languor, boredom, dissatisfaction, tired

19.  Glib… superficial, simplistic, facile, shallow, casual, slick, smooth, insincere, douche

20.  Umbrage… affront, offensive, aggravation, annoyance, resentment

21.  Ubiquitous… pervasive, omnipresent, ever-present, universal, found everywhere

22.  Nefarious… evil, wicked, despicable, reprehensible, infamous, perverse, degenerate

23.  Capricious… unpredictable, whimsical, fickle, erratic, changeable, impulsive, flighty 

24.  Boondoggle… unnecessary, pretends to be useful but is a waste of time and money

25.  Mellifluous… smooth, flowing, melodious sound, mellow, dulcet, soothing

26.  Passé… out of date, out of fashion, outmoded, past its prime

27.  Avante-garde… experimental, pushes boundaries in artistic expression, progressive, radical

28.  Leitmotif… theme, topic, motif, subject

29.  Aesthetic… esthetic, artistic, beautiful, appealing, visual

30.  Countenance… allow, tolerate, approve, stomach, face, expression, visage,

31.  Larceny… stealing, theft, robbery, thief, burglary, pilfering

32.  Impressionist… performer, mimic, impersonator, imitator, entertainer, comic

33.  Tryst… rendezvous, encounter, date, affair, one-night stand

34.  Catch 22…  dilemma, paradox, conflict with no escape

35.  Obtuse… dim, slow-witted, imperceptive, insensitive, stupid

36.  Quagmire - any difficult or precarious situation; predicament

37.  Flummoxed… baffled, bewildered, confounded, perplexed, puzzled, mystified, confused

38.  Caustic…  sarcastic, acerbic, biting, corrosive, acidic, cutting, sharp, burning

39.  Fait Accompli… already done, accomplished, irreversible, complete

40.  Salvage… rescue, saving, recovery, raising, reclamation, restoration

41.  Savage… brutal, vicious, ferocious, fierce

42.  Gregarious… outgoing, extroverted, convivial, sociable, expressive

43.  Innuendo… insinuation, allusion, oblique remark, hint, disparaging inference

44.  Modus vivendi (Latin)… way of life, practice, truce, settlement, compromise, deal

45.  Fastidious… demanding, pernickety, fussy, demanding, particular, difficult to please

46.  Maudlin… weepy, mushy, mawkish, sappy, sentimental, choked up

47.  Innuendo… allusive, oblique remark or hint

48.  Modus vivendi (Latin)… way of living

49.  Flabbergasted - that feeling when you are like, Is this real?

50.  Teetotaler - abstaining completely from alcohol qualifies somebody as a teetotale

51.  Empathy - sensitivity to other people’s feelings

52.  Unabashed- Not embarrassed

53.  Untoward… annoying, troublesome, unseemingly, improper, unbecoming

54.  Vicissitudes… changes, vagaries, fluctuations, deviations, unwanted variations

55.  Bodacious… insolent, brazen, audacious, brassy, baldfaced.

56.  Bodacious… can also mean something large or important that’s admired and enjoyed.

57.  Bodega ... small store that sells food and other items in a Spanish neighbourhood

58.  Obfuscate… obscure, confuse, muddle, cloud, conceal.

59.  Interminable… protracted, wearisome, unending

60.  Intrusive…  invasive, indiscrete, push, meddlesome, interfering

61.  Invective… attack, diatribe, tirade, abusive, vituperative, denunciation, execration

62.  Execration… curse, malediction, expletive, imprecate

63.  Chicanery…  deception, trickery, underhanded, double-dealing, waffle, flimflam

64.  Imprecate… revile, curse, execrate, malign, excoriate

65.  Vanquish… defeat, subjugate, conquer, annihilate, subdue, route, overpower

66.  Transduce… convert, transform into another form

67.  C’est la vie… life goes on

68.  Contenance… to admit as acceptable or possible

69.  Insidious… treacherous, underhanded, deceptive

70.  Stealth or stealthy… furtive, sly, crafty covert, sneaky, surreptitious, clandestine, slippery

71.  Clandestine…  concealed, secretive, undercover,

72.  Ambiguous… vague, abstruse, equivocal, indefinite

73.  Reprobate… depraved, perverse, degenerate, sinner, wrongdoer, trouble-maker

74.  Ravenous… extremely hungry, gluttonous, voracious, insatiable, starving

75.  Avatar… incarnate divine teacher, an embodied divine being

76.  Raison d’etre... reason for being, or reason for living

77.  Internecine… destructive, devastating, injurious, deadly, costly

78.  Impeccable... flawless, faultless, immaculate, unsullied, unimpeachable

79.  Quixotic… impractical, unrealistic, dreamy, idealistic, romantic

80.  Somnolent… drowsy, lethargic, sleep, torpid, inducing sleep

81.  Demure… modest, reserved, decorous, diffident, coy, modest, sedate, shy, bashful

82.   Piquancy… tart and tanging spiciness

83.   Bereft... lacking, deprived, bereaved, lovelorn, unbeloved

84.   Blanch… pale, lighten, blench, boil, poach

85.   Blithe… carefree, casual, merry, amiable, lighthearted, happy, unconcerned

86.  Accord… concurrence, harmony, agreement, treaty, pact, deal, solidarity, consensus

87.  Ephemeral… short-lived, passing, transient, temporary, fleeting, momentary, brief

88.  Enthrall… captivate, beguile, fascinate, entrance, rivet, mesmerize, grip, spellbound

89.  Fiend… villain, brute, ogre

90.  Wreak… inflict, cause damage

91.  Inveigle… charm, influence, beguile, allure, seduce, con, deceive, wheedle

92.  Proscribe… forbid, disallow, ban, prohibit, veto, exclude, bar, prohibit

93.  Providence… wisdom, prudence, frugality, thrift, forethought, provision

94.  Perfidious… disloyal, treacherous, untrue, base, low, deceitful

95.  Colloquial… slang, idiomatic, conversational, informal, (sometimes) vulgar speech.

96.  Collusion… plan to deceive, conspire together, secretly defraud.

97.  Collateral… surety, security, indemnity, warranty

98.  Collate… arrange, order, classify, systematize, gather, compare, codify

99.  Ensconce… entrench, hide, conceal, install, shield, establish

100.  Flaunt… exhibit, sport, show off, brandish, parade, display, vaunt

101.  Forage… search (for food), rummage, quest, fodder, hunt

102.  Foray… raid, incursion, plunder, assault, loot, despoil, sortie, rifle

103.  Forbearance… patience, self-control, tolerance, leniency, restraint

104.  Glorification… adoration, exaltation, veneration, praise

105.  Hector… hassle, intimate, bully, badger, browbeat, harass

106.  Impenitent… unrepentant, defiant, brazen, shameless

107.  Imperative… vital, essential, necessary, crucial, obligatory

108.  Chastise… reprimand, censure, rebuke, castigate, upbraid, scold

109.  Disposition… temperament, inclination, tendency, nature

110.  Dissertation… thesis, critique, essay, study, tract, paper

111.  Equitable… just, reasonable, impartial, evenhanded, fair, unbiased

112.  Libidinous… sexual arousal, erogenous, lustful

113.  Vacillate… dither, waver, hesitate, equivocate, falter

114.  Knell… Bell ringing, tolls solemnly, ominously, often in reference to a funeral

115.  Unctuous… oily, affected, suave, smug, too smooth and anxious to please 

116.  Imposition… obligation, burden, hassle, bother, nuisance

117.  Genealogy… lineage, family, pedigree, descendants

118.  Genetic… hereditary, inherited, innate, inborn, native

119.  Trundle… saunter, wander, trapse

120.  Impunity… exemption, immunity, license, latitude, freedom

121.  Asymmetrical… lopsided, uneven, disproportionate, distorted, irregular

122.  Symmetrical… regular, even, proportioned, balanced

123.  Rapprochement… reconciliation, settlement, accord, understanding, reunion, entente

124.  Pugnacious… aggressive, confrontational, belligerent, contentious

125.  Petulant… peevish, cantankerous, sulky, irritable, grumpy, ill-tempered

126.  Sagacious… wise, sage, learnt, perceptive, prescient, astute, discerning

127.  Sanguine… cheerful, confident, optimistic, upbeat, hopeful

128.  Piquant… piquancy, spiciness, tang, tartness, zest, smack, sharpness

129.  Systematic… methodical, orderly, organized, efficient, logical

130.  Supposition… belief, hypothesis, assumption, opinion, thesis, surmise

131.  Libertine… degenerate, dissolute, debauched, profligate, riotous

132.  Quizzical… questioning, curious, puzzled, perplexed, enquiring, sardonic

133.  Quantum… important, significant, dramatic, substantial, huge

134.  Banal… prosaic, hackneyed, predictable, boring, cliché, trite, facile, dull

135.  Matrix… milieu, medium, background, atmosphere, ground

136.  Modlin… tearful, weakly emotional, foolishly sentimental

137.  Ignominious… humiliating, shameful, disgraceful, dishonourable, despicable

138.  Cohere… adhere, stick, conform, gel, bind

139.  Nepotism… favouritism, prefer bias, partiality, prejudice

140.  Negate… contradict, disavow, contravene, disprove, repudiate

141.  Postulate… assume, hypothesize, propose, claim, nominate

142.  Duplicity… deceit, deception, unfaithfulness, disloyalty

143.  Snivelling… weeping, moaning, howling, bawling, blubbering

144.  Conniving… devious, scheming, conspiratorial, cunning, sly, crafty 

145.  Indiscretion… impudence, incaution, reckless, impudence, tackles, rashness

146.  Myopic… narrow-minded, bigoted, intolerant, blinkered, biased, parochial

147.  Egregious… conspicuously bad, terrible, heinous, evil

148.  Foment… provoke, incite, ferment, aggravate, foster, stimulate, fan, fuel

149.  Illiberal… reactionary, proscriptive, parochial, narrow-minded, mean, parsimonious

150.  Nominal… insignificant, ostensible, token, supposed, minor, minimal, trifling

151.  Litigate… sue, contest, prosecute, petition, arraign, charge, implead,

152.  Nomenclature… classification, terminology, codify, catalogue, arrangement

153.  Listless… lethargic, indolent, enervated, limp, inactive, inert, apathetic

154.  Liturgy… ritual, rite, worship, mass

155.  Ambiguity…  vagueness, uncertainty, haziness, indistinctiveness, opacity

156.  Opacity… opaqueness, imperviousness, denseness, cloudy, murky,

157.  Inertia… torpor, lethargy, sluggishness, indolence, apathy, laziness

158.  Fallow… uncultivated, unused, bare, empty, seedless

159.  Eviscerate… disembowel, gut, fillet 

160.  Furtive… secretive, sly, sneaky, clandestine

161.  Gnostic… inner knowledge, mystical, arcana, esoteric

162.  Mystic… spiritualist, sage, sorcerer

163.  Noosphere… collective sphere of consciousness, spiritual, mental, Ideas

164.  Biosphere… biological sphere, environment living on earth’s land and sea

165.  Geosphere… earth’s material surface, rocks, ocean bottom

166.  Confluence… convergence, flowing together, meeting, union

167.  Meld… combine, mix, blend, amalgamate, fusion, merge

168.  Misanthrope… misanthropic, malcontent, loner, pessimist, recluse, cynic

169.  Misogynous… misogynistic, hate or discriminate against woman

170.  Meander… meandrous, winding, wandering, rambling, curve, twist, bend

171.  Meandrous… circuitous, convoluted, crooked, flexuous, gyrating, labyrinthine, mazy

172.  Misandry… misandrist, contempt, ingrained prejudice against men

173.  Pander… gratify or indulge other’s needs, habits and base desires 

174.  Supplicate… beg, appeal, plead, petition, beseech, request, implore, entreat, solicit

175.  Propitiate… propitiation, placate, appease, mollify, pacify, soothe, calm down

176.  Synergy…  collaboration, cooperation, interaction, coalition, harmony, teamwork, unity

177.  Procure… obtain, acquire, secure, attain, buy, gain, get

178.  Psyop… psychological manipulation to influence perception, propaganda 

179.  Coherent… comprehensible, articulate, lucid, rational, intelligible, clear

180.  Cantankerous… irritable, argumentative, difficult, grumpy, grouchy, disagreeable

181.  Contiguous… attached, touching, adjoining, adjacent, nearby, bordering, flanking

182.  Cynic… pessimist, scoffer, doubter, sceptic

183.  Implicate… connect, accuse, involve, incriminate, link, associate

184.  Magnum opus… work of art, stunning success, tour de force, masterwork

185.  Internecine… destructive, decimating, injurious, costly, deadly, havoc-wreaking

186.  Minx… flirtatious, coquettish, imprudent, cunning young woman

187.  Coquette… coquettish, flirt, philander, young woman manipulating men with her charms

188.  Gentry… nobility, elite, aristocracy, upper class

189.  Indolent… sluggish, slothful, idle, lethargic, torpid, lazy, laidback, lax, languid

190.  Gaunt… thin, skinny, lean, boney, emaciated, scrawny

191.  Genocide… massacre, extermination, annihilation, slaughter, destruction

192.  Chivalrous… gallant, courtly, valiant, noble, mannerly, polite, brave, courageous

193.  Chide… reproach, scold, rebuke, reprove, harass, criticize, blame

194.  Contingent… depending, reliant, provisional, liable, conditional, subject to

195.  Cohort… associate, regiment, group, partner, ally, follower

196.  Xenophobic… racist, chauvinistic, nationalistic, prejudiced

197.  Invidious… offensive, unenviable, undesirable, unfair, discriminatory

198.  Zealot… extremist, fanatic, dogmatist, devotee, advocate, aficionado

199.  Aspiration… ambition, goal, aim, target, hope, desired end, wish

200.           Nexus… connection, link, node, relationship, join, bond, tie

201.           Apparition… ghost, phantom, ghoul, spirit, phantasm

202.           Spectre… threat, shadow, menace, threat, danger, anticipation, spirit, presence

203.           Moxie… grit, gumption, guts, backbone

204.           Parochial… closeminded, narrow, provincial, unsophisticated,

205.           Apprehend… catch, capture, detain, arrest

206.           Admonish… reprove, reprimand, reproach, scold, chide, warn, caution

207.           Aplomb… composure, self-confidence, assurance, style, ease, poise, cool

208.           Sonorous… loud, deep, resonant, booming, resounding

209.           In situ… the natural or original position, place

210.           Placate… pacify, soothe, calm, mollify, appease, satisfy, propitiate, please

211.           Subterfuge… trick, ruse, ploy, manoeuvre, machination, duplicity, con, scheme

212.           Sublimate… channel, direct, reroute, redirect, transfer

213.           Zenith… peak, summit, pinnacled, top, acme, apex

214.           Alpha… first, leading, dominant, chief, primary

215.           Omega… ending, finish, finale, termination, conclusion

216.           Asinine… silly, stupid, idiotic, dim, unintelligent,

217.           Psychotic… deranged, demented, insane, psychopathic, delusional, crazy

218.           Dysfunctional…flawed, broken, debilitated, inhibited, maladjusted

219.           Psychosis… insanity, phobia, fixation, obsession, neurosis,

220.           Systemic… universal, total, inherent, fundamental, integral, congenital

221.           Sedentary… inactive, sitting, inactive, idle, seated, settled, sluggish, stationary, torpid

222.           Sedate… calm, serene, placid, composed, unflappable, staid, demure

223.           Ebullient… jolly, cheerful, enthusiastic, jovial, lively, happy, bouncy, fun

224.           Metaphysical… abstract, theoretical, philosophical, incorporeal, speculative, conjectural

225.           Conjecture… guess, speculation, inference, assumption, estimate, surmise

226.           Dystopia… a society where all has gone wrong, resulting in fear, dehumanization, misery

227.           Utopia… an ideal society, paradise, idea, heaven, Shangri-La

228.           Miasma… murk, fog, haze, cloud, film, mist

229.           Persona non grata… unacceptable person, unwelcome

230.           Symbiosis… cooperation, interdependence, relationship, interaction, synergy

231.           Synergy… collaboration, interaction, working together cooperatively

232.           Intrinsic… inherent, essential, innate, native, built-in, fundamental, basic

233.           Extrinsic… external, extraneous, not inherent

234.           Pertinent… relevant, appropriate, apt, relatable, valent

235.           Insular… narrow-minded, blinkered, limited, inward-looking

236.           Ocular… visual, optical,

237.           Licentious… dissolute, shameless, immodest, dissipated, impious

238.           Intrepid… bold, courageous, valent, audacious, heroic, dauntless, fearless

239.           Extrapolate… infer, generalize, deduce, conclude, reason

240.           Interpolate… insert, incorporate, interpose, add, interject, introduce

241.           Fastidious… demanding, persnickety, fussy, exacting, choosy, finicky

242.           Pacify… appease, soothe, calm, placate, mollify

243.           Ostensible… apparent, perceived, seeming, alleged, supposed

244.           Countermand… revoke, stop, reverse, annul, retract, cancel

245.           Contrarian… one who takes a position opposite to most opinions

246.           Copious… abundant, plentiful, bountiful, ample, numerous

247.           Lucid… clear, plain, simple, articulate, well-spoken, congent, reasoned

248.           Natter… idle chatter about unimportant things

249.           Nader… lowest point, rock bottom

250.           Solicitous… caring, attentive, considerate, apprehensive, anxious

251.           Purveyor… transmitter, seller, supplier, spreader, bringer, source

252.           Placid… docile, mild, calm, peaceful, tranquil, quiet, easy-going

253.           Diaphonous… to see through, insubstantial, vague, ethereal

254.           Sustenance… nourishment, food, nutrition, victuals

255.           Indubitable… unquestionable, certain, undeniable, irrefutable, conclusive

256.           Doppelgänger… double, twin, clone, lookalike, shadow

257.           Alacrity… eagerness, enthusiasm, readiness, quickness, promptness, zeal

258.           Deduce… infer, construe, assume, comprehend, understand, presume

259.           Retribution… vengeance, revenge, payback, reprisal

260.           Resilience… pliable, flexible, bounciness, springiness, elasticity, suppleness, buoyancy

261.           Circuitous…  indirect, meandering, twisting, ambiguous, crooked, indirect, mazy

262.           Convoluted… complex, complicated, elaborate, tortuous, twisted, serpentine, sinuous,

263.           Gyrate… spin, revolve, spiral, twizzle, swivel, serpentine, sinuous

264.           Labyrinthine... convoluted, complex, intricate, tortuous, tangled, complicated.

265.           Serpentine… winding, twisting, roundabout, bending, indirect, snakelike

266.           Sinuous… lithe, supple, graceful, flowing

267.           Reciprocity… Exchange, mutuality, trade, interchange

268.           Restive… agitated, twitchy, restless, edgy, uneasy, fidgety

269.           Reparation… compensation, amends, reimbursement, recompense, restitution

270.           Renege… revoke, default, break a promise, go back on

271.           Reclamation… recovery, repossession, recuperate, salvage, retrieval

272.           Redouble… renew, augment, intensify, amplify

273.    Excoriate… criticize, attach, condemn, upbraid, denounce, censure, reprimand, castigate, scold

274.    Renown… fame, reputation, notoriety, popularity, recognition, distinction, prominence

275.    Rebuke… reprimand, reproach, censure, criticize, lecture, admonition

276.    Admonition… warning, rebuke, caution, scolding, reproach

277.    Reprehensible… disgraceful, shameful, culpable, inexcusable, liable, guilty

278.    Ipso facto… therefore, thus, as a result, so, by the fact of

279.    Notorious… disreputable, tarnished, infamous

280.    Notary… legal clerk, attorney, barrister, solicitor

281.    Mendicant… homeless, beggar, panhandler, indigent

282.    Iridescent… lustrous, shimmer, dazzling, shining, glistening, flicker, sparkling

283.    Demise… death, decease, passing, expiry, termination, downfall, failure, ruin

284.    Indenture… contract, agreement, pact, deal, treaty

285.    Tort… misdeed, offence, misdeed, illegal

286.    Castigate… reprimand, scold, rebuke, criticize

287.    Elliptical… indirect, oblique, abstruse, egg-shaped

288.    Cryptic… secret, hidden, mysterious, enigmatic, puzzling

289.    Foliage… shrubbery, greenery, vegetation, verdure, flora

290.    Emissary… envoy, agent, representative, delegate, ambassador

291.    Culminate… conclude, finish, climax, crown, end, close

292.    Pillory… denounce, ridicule, deride, humiliate, scorn, brand

293.    Pedantic… doctrinaire, dull, fussy, finicky, nitpicking, arcane, plodding 

294.    Sophistry… illogical, dishonest, casuistry, fallacious, fraudulent, laborious

295.    Apposition… juxtaposition, comparison, connection, collocation

296.    Substratum… substrate, base material, underlying support, 

297.    Plausible… reasonable, credible, probable, conceivable, likely, acceptable

298.   Temper… to anneal, make stronger with testing and hardship

299.    Anneal… harden, toughen, forge, galvanize, strengthen

300.           Impede… hinder, hamper, obstruct, encumber, inhibit, block, delay

301.           Noxious… harmful, toxic, poisonous, venomous, injurious, pernicious, hateful

302.           Arcane… mysterious, esoteric, secret, deep, hidden, obscure, inscrutable

303.           Stupendous… astonishing, amazing, awesome, breathtaking, fantastic, wonderful

304.           Beatific… blissful, radiant, sublime, heavenly, ecstatic, adorable, virtuous, saintly

305.           Beatitudes… happiness, blessing, declarations from sermon on the mount.

306.           Benediction… approval, sanction, blessing, public pronouncement of good wishes

307.           Invocation… request, entreaty, plea, petition, solicitation, incantation, supplication

308.           Saunter… walk, stroll, amble, ramble, wander, mosey, meander

309.           Gait… pace, manner, style of walk, posture, bearing, step

310.           Insipid… dull, unexciting, boring, lifeless, inane, banal, trite, bland, wishy-washy

311.           Vector… path, course, trajectory, route, direction

312.           Hyperbole… exaggeration, overstatement, overemphasis, inflation, embellishment

313.           Simile… figure of speech comparing two unlike things with ‘as’ or ‘like’ 

314.           Simulate… pretend, copy, imitate, fake, mimic, replicate, feign, fake

315.           Persnickety… paying too much attention to detail, over particular, fussy

316.           Rout… retreat, flight, surrender, defeat, thrashing, disarray, landslide

317.           Lament… weep, dirge, wailing, mourn, bewail, grieve.

318.           Incantation… summons, spell, charm, invocation

319.           Laudable… credible, meritorious, commendable, impressive, worthy, admirable

320.           Langer… a fool, idiot, disagreeable man, often intoxicated

321.           Juxtaposition… comparison, contrast, collation, connection, concurrence

322.           Libation… brew, drink, beverage. Also, tribute, offering, oblation, offertory

323.           Libido… sexual drive, eros, passion

324.  Libidinous… lustful, sensual, wanton, carnal, salacious, prurient, debauched, lascivious

325.  Laconic… curt, concise, short, terse, brief

326.  Voluptuous… luscious, lush, epicurean

327.  Agape… unconditional divine love

328.  Philia… brotherly love, community with virtue, equality, and familiarity

329.           Eros… sexual love, erotic

330.           Erotic… suggestive, aphrodisiac, carnal, titillating, bawdy, lustful, erogenous

331.           Dispassionate… Impartial, rational

332.           Intonation… tone, pitch, inflexion, lilt, cadence, tone, timbre, accentuation

333.           Vivify… animate, revive, quicken, recreate, revivify

334.           Flaunt… exhibit, display, flourish, brandish, boast

335.           Bifurcate… split, fork, divide, diverge, separate, brancy, converge

336.           Presupposition… assumption, belief, premise, hypothesis, deduction

337.           Tincture… extract, mixture, solution, distillate. Or… hint, nuance, tone, shade

338.           Tantamount… equivalent, synonymous, identical, indistinguishable, equal

339.           Misnomer… misleading term, inaccuracy, incongruity, contradiction

340.           Tenuous… weak, shakey, unconvincing, fragile, vague, unsubstantiated

341.           Debilitate… enervate, hamper, hinder, weaken, drain, incumber, incapacitate

342.           Titillate… stimulate, tickle, arouse, interest, tease

343.           Quixotic… idealistic, unrealistic, romantic, impractical

344.           Hedonist… epicurean, sybarite, debauchee, rake, roué 

345.           Dirge… requiem, elegy, lament, chant, mournful song

346.           Truncate… shorten, abbreviate, trim, cut, prune, pare

347.           Octave… interval of one musical pitch and another, scale, eight, distance between notes

348.           Continuum… range, scale, field, band

349.           Anachronistic… dated, belonging to an earlier period, old-fashioned

350.           Continence… self-control, holding back, abstinence, restraint, chastity

351.           Incontinence… loss of bladder control, dissolution

352.           Acronym… First letters representing the name of something (Eg UN or KFC)

353.           Existential.. experiential, factual, observational, pragmatic, empirical

354.           Preamble… introduction, preface, overture, opening

355.           Intransigent… inflexible, stubborn, obdurate, obstinate, intractable, reactionary

356.           Rarify/rarified… refined, elaborate, complicated

357.           Parsimonious… stingy, frugal, miserly, cheap, tight, sparing, ungenerous

358.           Non sequitur… ‘it does not follow,’ no connection between premises and conclusion

359.           Redundant… surplus, unneeded, superfluous, unnecessary, outmoded, unwanted

360.           Epicurean…  hedonistic, self-indulgent, sensual, luscious, libertine, bacchanalian 

361.           Wizened… wrinkled, withered, crinkly, aged, shriveled

362.           Impropriety… unacceptable, improper behaviour, indecorous, unsuitable language

363.           Imperturbable… calm, cool, unflappable, composed, unflustered, unruffled, collected

364.           Fusion… synthesis, combination, mixture, blend, merge, meld, union, continuation

365.           Impotent… powerless, helpless, weak, incapable, ineffectual, feeble

366.           Decadent… corrupt, depraved, debauched, degenerate, dissolute, licentious, profligate

367.           Unsavoury… Distasteful, nasty, objectionable, obnoxious, shady, unpalatable, unpleasant

368.           Savvy… perceptive, shrewd, know-how, practical, knowledgeable

369.           Precarious… dangerous, risky, hazardous, perilous, shakey

370.           Evince… show, demonstrate, manifest, reveal, display, verify, support

371.           Choleric… irascible, hot-headed, temper, angry, irate, irritable, irascible

372.           Melancholy… sad, miserable, glum, gloomy, dejected, dismal, despondent

373.           Phlegmatic… calm, composed, unflappable, indifferent, placid, stoic, apathetic

374.           Oblation… offering, sacrifice, gift, present

375.           Deciduous… trees with leaves that fall

376.           Coniferous… cone-bearing trees with needles 

377.           Alienation… isolation, disaffection, estrangement, distancing, dissension

378.           Profligate… wasteful, reckless, squander, extravagant, dissolute, licentious

379.           Qua… in the capacity of, the character of being, by virtue of being

380.           Auspicious… favourable, promising, positive, propitious, opportune, providential

381.           Requiem… elegy, mass, funeral, hymn, change, dirge

382.           Timorous… … frightening, reticent, apprehensive, bashful, coy, timid, faint-hearted, sca

383.           Inhibit… constrain, impede, obstruct, deter, restrain, reduce, hamper, stall, restrain

384.           Aggregate… collective, cumulate, amass, summative, sum, combination,

385.           Coup de grâce… death blow, final decisive strike, finishing blow

386.           Decimate… destroy, devastate, annihilate, reduce, ruin, demolish

387.           Cohesion… unity, consistency, interrelation, structure, solidity

388.           Fragment… piece, portion, splinter, scrap, part, section

389.           Inherent… integral, innate, inborn,

390.           Multifarious… diverse, varied, assorted, manifold, heterogenous

391.           Dubious… doubtful, uncertain, unsure, undecided, unconvincing, questioning, suspicious

392.           Salacious… scandalous, sensational, passionate, lustful, lecherous, lascivious, lewd

393.           Impetus… motivation, push, drive, spur, impulsion, momentum, force

394.           Impervious… impenetrable, incapable of being harmed or affected

395.           Penitent… repentant, contrite, remorseful, regretful, rueful, sorry, apologetic

396.           Disingenuous… dishonest, insincere, deceitful, misleading, duplicitous, devious

397.           Duplicity… disloyal, treachery, betrayal, deceit, fraudulent

398.           Ingenuous… innocent, inexperienced, naïve, trusting, simple, unworldly

399.           Perpetrate… enact, execute, commit, perform, effect, do

400.           Perpetuity… endless, permanency, imperishable, infinity eternal, timeless,

401.           Erogenous… erotic, sexual, sensual, seductive, stimulating, aphrodisiac, titillating 

402.           Venal… corruptible, mercenary, unprincipled, degenerate, decadent, amoral, crooked

403.           Personify… personalize, exemplify, embody, incarnate, show, epitomize

404.           Anthropomorphomize… to attribute human form or personality to what’s not human

405.  Coalesce… merge, combine, join, mingle, meld, cleave, mingle, blend, fuse, amalgamate

406.  Importune… pester, harass, persist, demand, bother, badger, beleaguer, plague

407.  Pernicious… malicious, wicked, evil, malevolent, malign, maleficent, spiteful, destructive

408.  Exculpate… free, excuse, clear, acquit, exonerate, absolve, release

409.  Explicate… explain, elucidate, expound, illuminate, clarify, make plain

410.  Exonerate… absolve, vindicate, pardon, acquit, forgive, exculpate

411.  Specious… false, hollow, inaccurate, unfounded, phoney, bogus, unsound, baseless

412.  Sybarite… sensualist, epicurean, voluptuary, pleasure-lover, hedonist

413.  Penal… punitive, punishing, corrective, disciplinary, severe

414.  Post-humous… following or occurring after death

415.  Veni-Vidi-Vici… ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ (Julius Caesar)

416.  Causality… cause, connection, causation, fate, destiny

417.  Doublespeak… language used to deceive, conceal or misrepresent the truth

418.  Complicit… helping commit a crime or some wrongdoing

419.  Surmise… guess, inference, supposition, postulation, assumption, suspicion, speculate

420.  Plenitude… plenteous, abundance, copious, amplitude, repletion, fullness

421.  Nascent… budding, embryonic, emerging, blossoming, bourgeoning

422.  Entente… agreement, contract, settlement, appointment, compromise, deal, pact

423.  Embryonic… emergent, nascent, primary, budding, sprouting, developing, prenatal

424.           Abstinence… self-denial, self-restraint, moderation, asceticism

425.           Inopportune… ill-timed, unfortunate, untimely, inappropriate, inconvenient

426.           Recondite… obscure, abstruse, complex, esoteric, hidden, concealed

427.           Habiliments… clothing, vestures, wear

428.           Ineptitude… incompetence, uselessness, maladroitness, ineptness, lacking skill

429.           Propitious… auspicious, encouraging, upbeat, rosey, hopeful, optimistic

430.           Hasta la vista… ‘so long; see you again’

431.           Parity… equivalence, par, equality, uniformity, similarity

432.           Minuscule… tiny, minute, microscopic, infinitesimal, diminuative

433.           Extol… praise, exalt, commend, eulogize, admire, worship

434.           Penurious... impoverished, destitute, indigent, impecunious

435.            Domicile… country considered permanent home or originated

436.            Equanimity… mental calmness, coolness, composure, and evenness of temper,  

437.            Concentric… rings, circles or spheres that have the same centre

438.           Discordant… conflicting, disagreeing, dissonant, disputatious, cacophonous

439.           Lugubrious… sad, mournful, gloomy, doleful, melancholy, cheerless, dismal, morose

440.           Salubrious… healthy, wholesome, clean, respectable, decent,

441.           Supine… flat on the back, horizontal, listless, apathetic, recumbent

442.           Prostrate… flat, face down, exhausted, drained, prone, level

443.           Inflammatory… provocative, seditious, fiery, stirring, incendiary, rabble-rousing

444.           Diffuse… dispersed, drawn-out, rambling, turgid, verbose

445.           Detente…  a relaxing of national tensions, as by negotiations or agreements. E.g. Russia

446.           Surreal… dreamlike, phantasm, odd, strange, bizarre, unreal, weird

447.           Amorphous… formless, shapeless, vague, unstructured, fluid, nebulous

448.           Elusive… abstract, subtle, indefinable, mysterious, obscure, tenous

449.           Allude… mention, suggest, indicate, refer, introduce, make reference to

450.           Inference… implication, suggestion, insinuation, presumption, extrapolation

451.           Illuminate… clarify, brighten, irradiate, enlighten, inform, elucidate

452.           Epiphany… sudden insight, inspiration, flash, realization, orphic

453.           Usurious… exorbitant, excessive interest rate, extortion, steep, unconscionable

454.           Euphemism… understatement, synonym, code word, neutral term

455.           Metaphor… symbol, comparison, image, representation,

456.           Allegory… story, fable, symbol, tale, parable

457.           Lading… cargo, freight, shipment, goods, load

458.           Aficionado… enthusiast, devotee, adherent, fan, admirer, buff

459.           Melodramatic… overdramatic, histrionic, exaggerated, theatrical, over-the-top

460.           Denouement… day·noo·maan, conclusion, finale, how the plot turns out

461.           Bailiff… evictor, agent, dispossessor, law officer

462.           Baying… howling, woofing, barking, yelping, wailing, yapping

463.           Verve… vigour, vim, dash, spirit, animation, vitality, dynamism, enthusiasm, life

464.           Rapprochement… reconciliation, harmonize, after being enemies or unfriendliness.

465.           Diametric… opposite, polar

466.           Hierarchy… grading, pyramid, ladder, vertical integration, higher dominates

467.           Heterarchy… horizontal integration for governance, no one dominates

468.           Transcendence… otherworldliness, excellence, preeminence, superiority, loftiness

469.           Meticulous… careful, scrupulous, thorough, fussy, detailed, particular, accurate

470.           Antic… jaunt, lark, escapade, exploit, adventure

471.           Scruples… integrity, conscientious, principled, ethical, moral, scrupulous, upright

472.           Involution… engagement, involvement, participation, infolding

473.           Implacable… merciless, ruthless, cruel, hard-hearted, callous, unyielding, obdurate

474.           Portent… sign, presage, augury, omen, foreshadowing, herald, premonition, portend

475.           Tenets… creeds, doctrines, views, canons, principles, beliefs, percepts, views

476.           De rigueur… compulsory, requisite, necessary, enforced, indispensable, vital, mandatory

477.           Augury… prognostication, prophesy, divination, forecast, predictions, forwarning, omen

478.           Quandary…  dilemma, jam, difficulty, predicament, catch-22

479.            Perilous… dangerous, unsafe, terrifying, exposed, extreme, hazardous

480.            Supercilious, arrogant, condescending, haughty, patronizing, snobbish, pompous, contemptuous

481.            Consociate…  to bring or to come to associate with friends and community

482.           Remorse… repentance, penitent, compunction, shame, sorrow, regret, guilt

483.           Apoplectic… enraged, irate, seething, angry, annoyed, furious

484.           Ingratiate… curry favour, grovel, suck up, toady

485.           Avocation… work that’s a hobby, pastime, diversion or amusement

486.           Extemporaneous… extemporal, impromptu, spontaneous, unrehearsed, ad-libbed

487.           Fidelity… loyalty, faithfulness, devotion, reliability, commitment

488.           Infidelity… unfaithful, disloyalty, perfidy, betrayal, treason,

489.           Failsafe… guaranteed, reliable, foolproof, dependable,

490.           Ruminate… ponder, cogitate, meditate, contemplate, reflect, muse

491.           Tincture… tinge, hint, nuance, distillation, shade, tone, solution, essence, extract

492.           Theocracy… government by religion, clergy

493.           Presentiment… intuition, suspicion, foreboding, premonition, awareness

494.           Consciousness… awareness, perception, cognizance, realization

495.           Calibre… calibration, quality of one’s character or ability

496.           Concomitant… adjoining, touching, attached, connecting, nearby, bordering, flanking

497.           Egotistic… narcissistic, selfish, egocentric

498.           Verboten… forbidden, prohibited, taboo, proscribe, outlawed, impermissible

499.           Comport… behave, conduct, bear, carry

500.           Impregnable… unassailable, invincible, unconquerable, impenetrable, indestructible, secure

501.           Comeuppance… due, punishment, reward, just deserts, what’s deserved, coming to you

502.           Appellant… accuser, complainment, planfiff, litigant

503.           Pontificate… preach, be dogmatic, sound off, hold forth

504.           Ponderous… heavy, cumbersome, bulky, hefty, laborious, unwieldy, tedious

505.           Careen… Stagger, swerve, wind, twist, meander, snake, bowl, reel, sway, tilt, lurch, shift, wobble

506.           Infamous… shameful, ignoble, vile heinous, notorious, outrageous

507.           Infamous… renown, legendary, well-known, recognized

508.           Milieu… environment, scene, setting, location, locale, ambience, climate, atmosphere, situation

509.           Crater…dip, hollow, cavern, cavity, indention, opening, depression, basin,

510.           Illicit… illegal, illegitimate, banned, forbidden, proscribed, criminal

511.           Elicit…  prompt, stimulate, extract, provoke, cause, obtain, educe, draw

512.           Spectrum… range, band, field, gamut, scale, continuum

513.           Sequence… order, arrangement, categorization, system, series, progression, chain, string

514.           Allocation…  distribution, provision, share, portion, allotment, allowance, provision

515.           Impecunious… poor, disadvantaged, ruined, broke, destitute, impoverished

516.           Allotment… portion, allowance, share, ration, allocation,

517.           Incongruous… incompatible, odd, inconsistent, unsuitable, inharmonious, incompatible

518.           Incompetence… ineffective, ineptitude, useless, unskilled, inability

519.           Rabid… fervent, ardent, zealous; or diseased, sick, ill, infected, unwell

520.           Seditious… treasonous, disloyal, subversive, mutinous, rebellious

521.           Subversive… insubordinate, seditious, traitorous, dissident, insurrectionist

522.           Hedging… equivocation, dodging, fudging, evading, get-around, prevarication,

523.           Heinous… atrocious, monstrous, monstruous, dreadful, shocking, odious

524.           Histrionic… theatrical, dramatic, exaggerated, unrestrained, melodramatic

525.           A posteriori… inductive reasoning, conclusions derived from facts or observations

526.           A priori… deductive reasoning, prior to, beforehand, presupposed, presumptive

527.           Ipso facto… therefore, hence, thus, consequently, as a result,

528.           Malfeasance… wrongdoing, misconduct, illegal, causing physical or monetary harm.

529.           Minion… subordinate, sycophant, underling, follower, assistant

530.           Pungent… Strong, spicy, piquant, powerful, sharp-tasting, heady, stimulating

531.           Mentation… mental activity, state

532.           Effette… weak, overly  refined, effeminate male,

533.           Assail… attack, assault, beset, storm, charge, rush, beat, overwhelm

534.           Matastitize… to spread or grow, as with cancer in the body by metastasis

535.           Corroborate… verify, substantiate, confirm, agree, validate, document, support

536.           Collaborate… work together, cooperate, team up, join forces, partnership

537.           Impediment… impairment, obstruction, barrier, hindrance, hurdle, block, inhibition

538.           Incendiary… aggressive, inflammable, provocative, stirring, rousing, combustible

539.           Epitomize… typify, embody, exemplify, incarnate, symbolize, characterize, personify

540.           Urchin… a mischievous, roguish child who is small, raggedly dressed

541.           Obstreperous… rowdy, disorderly, undisciplined, bad-tempered, disruptive, unruly

542.           Ludicrous… absurd, ridiculous, nonsensical, farcical, outrageous, foolish, daft

543.           Extenuate… mitigate, downplay, excuse, justify, minimize, moderate,  make allowances

544.           Cretin…  Half-wit, idiot, imbecile, moron. simpleton, lack common sense.

545.           Consort… partner, associate, spouse

546.         Addled… confused, muddled, bemused, perplexed, befuddled

547.         Phosphorescence… light emitted without combustion

548.         Triad… triad, triangle, triumvirate, triple, threesome

549.         Palliate… alleviate, assuage, relieve, qualify, reduce, soften, diminish

550.         Decorous… well-behaved, modest, correct, good, seemly, serenity, respectable

551.           Décor… decoration, furnishings, style, ornamentation, interior design

552.           Magnanimous… generous, noble, worthy, upright, fair, high-minded

553.           Florid… ornate, flowery, nancy, showy, extravagant, ostentatious

554.           Elongate… lengthen, stretch, extend, draw out

555.           Insurrection… insurgency, revolution, revolt, uprising, mutiny, retaliation, rebellion

556.           Abysmal… terrible, awful, dreadful. Appaling, horrible

557.           Monolith… monument, column, stone, pillar, megalith

558.           Muse…  ponder, consider, cogitate, contemplate, recollect, meditate, think

559.           Preposterous… outrageous, ridiculous, laughable, unreasonable, silly, ludicrous

560.           Incumbent… obligatory, mandatory, binding, unavoidable, inescapable,

561.           Incumbent… officeholder, executive, official, appointee, current, sitting, now

562.           Monotonous... dull, droning, repetitive, boring, tedious, dreary, pedestrian, uninteresting

563.           Fulcrum… pivot, hinge, swivel, support, point

564.           Default… nonpayment, default, avoidance, evasion

565.           Affable… pleasant, friendly, sociable, easygoing, jovial, cordial

566.           Avarice… avaricious, greed, acquisitiveness, cupidity, covetousness, selfish

567.           Miniscule… tiny, minute, minature, diminuative, microscopic

568.           Arsenal… armoury, resource, stash, cache, fund

569.           Esoteric… obscure, arcane, cryptic, abstruse, mysterious, secret, occult

570.           Arcana… secret, mysterious or specialized knowledge, language, accessible by initiate

571.           Pending… awaiting, incomplete, imminent, expected, approaching, impending, undecided

572.           Amenable… agreeable, acquiescent, docile, pliable, flexible, cooperative, passive, odedient

573.           Amiable… affable, friendly, kind, likeable, amicable, sociable,good-natured, cordial, affable

574.           Lionize… idolize, praise, celebrate, applaud, extol, idolize, glorify

575.           Sage… wise, learned, clever, prudent, sagacious, perceptive, advisor, mentor, erudite, shrewd

576.           Ferment… agitation, mayhem, unrest, tumult, confusion, excitement,uproar, commotion

577.           Anon… presently, soon, shortly, rapidly, immediately

578.           Anonymous… nameless, unidentified, unknown, mysterious, shadowy, insigned

579.           Lecherous… lustful, lascivious, libidinous, lewd

580.           Lewd… vulgar, dawdy, rude, coarse

581.           Epic… grand, ambitious, impressive, classic, heroic, marathon, extravaganza

582.           Epistle… letter, missive, communication, message, dispatch, note

583.           Tome…  book, volume, digest, large literary work

584.           Ogre… monster, tyrant, fiend, troll

585.           Sacrament… ceremony, rite, service, mass, ritual, mass

586.           Alchemy… transformative, experimentation

587.           Beneficent… charitable, altruistic, humanitarian, philanthropic, advantageous, helpful, generous

588.           Interlocutory… dialogue, conversation, order, decree, informal judicial decision

589.           Priggish… prudish, prim, straightlaced, stuffy, starchy, pompous, squeamish

590.           Oratory… orator, speechmaking, rhetoric, debating, declamation, eloquence

591.           Rhetoric… oratory, speech, grandiloquence, bombast, pomposity, idiom, expression

592.           Repertoire… selection, list, range, catalogue, gamut, series, group, collection

593.           Requisition… request, summons, application, demand, appropriation

594.           Waif… urchin, stray, raggamuffin, orphan

595.           Indignity... humiliation, mortification, dishonour, ignominy, shame, disrepute, disgrace, infamy

596.           Juggernaut… relentless, destructive, ruthless, stoppable force, steamroller

597.           Residual… remaining, outstanding, lasting, balanced, enduring, lingering

598.           Reprimand… admonishment, rebuke, warning, reproof, dressing-downs

599.           Comprehensive… complete, inclusive, full, broad, ample, thorough

600.           Prude… prig, killjoy, pendant, square, stuffed-shirt

601.           Platonic… spiritual, friendly, neighbourly, nonsexual, amicable

602.           Perdition… punishment, purgatory, hell, inferno, underworld, abyss,

603.           Numinous… mystical, magic, supernatural, spiritual

604.           Hypostasis… epistasis, underlying reality, substrate,

605.           Static… still, fixed, inert, immobile, inactive, unmoving, stationary, motionless

606.           Lexicon… word list, dictionary, glossary, concordance, reference book…

607.           Niggardly… meagre, wretched, inefficient, paltry, beggarly, stingy, ungenerous

608.           Pompous… arrogant, haughty, ostentatious, pretentious, exaggerated, showy, grandiose

609.           Entourage… following, back-up, support, staff

610.           Lunar… related to the moon, cosmological, stellar, astral

611.           Miscreant… trouble-maker, villain, rebel, offender, wrongdoer, scoundrel, criminal, reprobate

612.           Narcissistic… unreasonable sense of self-importance, prideful, hubris

613.           Modus operandi… a particular way method of doing something

614.           Maestro… expert, genius, whiz, viruoso, talented, marvel, ace

615.           Precocious… advanced, intelligent, bright, mature, clever, gifted, developed

616.           Soliloquy… speech, monologue, oration, declamation

617.           Ode… poem, verse, rhyme, sonnet, limerick, song

618.           Interlope… intrude, encroach, interfere, meddle

619.           Bequeath… leave, give, bestow, will,  donate

620.           Besmirch… sully, defame, tarnish, slander, taint, damage

621.           Purview… the range of experience or expertise, area of responsibility

622.           Fortuitous… chance, accidental, unplanned, accidental, serendipitous

623.           Recumbent… reclining, resting, horizontal, leaning, accumbent

624.           Frivolous… playful, lighthearted, frolic, merry, flippant, silly, dizzy, perky, giddy

625.           Rubicon…  to reach a point where one cannot change a decision or course of action.

626.           Harried… agitated, harassed, stressed, beleaguered, anxious, distraught, troubled

627.           Panacea… cure-all, solution, remedy, answer

628.           Wheelhouse… expertise, interests, comfort zone, abilities

629.           Germane… relevant, related, applicable, apposite, appropriate, fitting, apt, suited

630.           Constellation… assemblage, pattern, arrangement, gathering, group

631.           Beguile… enticing, luring, wooing, charming, mesmerizing, enthralling, fascinating

632.           Hegemony… dominion, control, power, authority, supremacy, subjugation

633.  Solipsistic… self-centred, selfish, belief that the self is all that can be known to exist.

634.  Fantasmic… A fortunate occurrence with an element of magic or mysticism.

635.  Concupiscent… lustful, incontinent, lecherous, unchaste, ruttish

636.  Incontinent… promiscuous, unrestrained, uncontrollable, unchecked, unbridled

637.  Sycophant… flatterer, obsequious, insincere, acting to gain an advantage

638.  Tour de Force… achievement, impressive performance, masterpiece, magnum opus

639.  Ostentatious… flashy, showy, flamboyant, grandiose, modest, brazen, imposing

640.  Iteration…  repetition, reiteration, recapitulation, duplication, different form or version

641.  Gravitas… dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner

642.  Mia culpa…  admission of fault

643.  Grifter…con artist: someone who swindles people out of money through fraud

644.  Assuage... mitigate, appease, soften

645.  Mollify... moderate, placade, calm

646.  Prima Facia… based on the first impression; accepted as correct until proven otherwise

647.  Trove… storehouse of valuable and delightful treasures

648.  Poseur… fake, attempting to be cool, to impress being someone you’re not.

649.  Apocalyptic… fateful, portentous, prescient prognosticative prophetic revelational revelatory

650.  Trope… cliché, platitude, truism, saying, adage, generalization, platitude

______________________________________________

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR/AUTHOR

I have a Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy and a BEd in Secondary English. Though I've always been fascinated with words and reading throughout the years, I worked in the real estate sector for most of my adult years, including brokerage in land assembly and acquisitions, office leasing, land development, ownership and management of residential properties, etc.   

If you're interested in knowing more about my background, you can read about my past in the following posts if you like.

Author Interview
https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/author-interview 

Author's Pictography. Pictures from childhood to adulthood. 
https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/picto-bio   

My TWILIGHT ZONE BACKSTORY
https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/how-it-came 

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ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE NOVEL SERIES

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As an update on my Elysium's Passage series, I hope to have all seven books posted on Amazon in late 2024 or early 2025. 

                                

PENDING PUBLICATION
ELYSIUM’S PASSAGE SERIES

                                             

The Ascent: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Summit: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Quantum Leaps: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Surreal Adventures: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Mystical Romance: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Elixir: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Return: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

 

1. The Ascent is the first novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage that’s foundational to everything that happens in the following narratives that embark on an adventure that will surprise and delight the reader like no other book.

It all begins with an extreme adventure of climbing a remote and challenging mountain somewhere in the Andean Mountains. Just as James, the protagonist, is about to reach the mountain summit, he falls into an abyss that leaves him in a coma for almost a year.

After being airlifted by a forestry helicopter and flown back to London, where his body remains for almost a year. Eventually, he learns it was not him but his body that was rescued. Several days later, without understanding what happened, he continues to climb to the summit in an alternate dimension of higher consciousness.

Fortuitously, he meets two adventurers on the summit ridge who are no longer of this world. After that, his surreal life leads him to several new adventures in the subsequent chronicles that include a rich mix of adventure, romance, and fantasy, along with profound discussions of philosophy, spirituality and the afterlife.

 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­2. The  Summit, the second novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, carries on where James, the narrator and protagonist, is taught more about a multidimensional reality that he finds difficult to comprehend.

Not only does he find he’s not as clever as he imagined, but his off-world companions on the summit demonstrate that much of what he believed about life was not just parochial but wrong. At first, he finds this difficult to comprehend since their teachings are contrary to his limited understanding of non-material reality.

After being tricked into teleporting off a ledge where he was trapped, James becomes aware of the new reality that makes him capable of far more adventures than could have ever been experienced previously in his physical body back home.

Now, if only he would win over the only woman in this life who matters, the nurse on the other side of the veil, who continually demonstrates her unconditional love toward his healing.

Warning: This book may also open the reader’s eyes to a much vaster reality than most might be aware. As with the other Chronicles, there are discussions of philosophy, the spiritual afterlife and what might seem like fantasy.

3. Quantum Leaps is the third novel in Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, where James, the philosopher-protagonist, teleports back to London to visit his body and make contact with the special nurse taking care of it in his absence. Immediately, he feels an inexplicable spiritual bond with her for reasons he remains unaware of.

Now aroused by a renewed interest in matters of love, the beginnings of a relationship begin to emerge as he attempts to reach across the chasm of their worlds. But it’s not until the fifth novel, Mystical Romance, that he encounters her in a way that he finds difficult to believe.

However, before that can happen, there is much about his failed relationships that must be resolved before he is ready to move forward in his new life in Elysium’s Passage. It is during this time he christens his comatose body as the fall guy since it took the fall for him down the abyss so he could learn the lessons he’s now learning.

That will be the next focus of his life, where in his next Surreal Adventures, he is given virtual lessons to release many of his past beliefs about life.

4. Surreal Adventures is the fourth novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, which finds James, the protagonist and narrator, escorted by his companions to a remote South Pacific Island, where he is left to reflect on what he’s learned.

During the next forty days, he battles the demons of his past as he works through some rather painful issues from his early youth. Here, in a tropical storm, he encounters an eery suspended spectre of the one he loved yet still resents for abandoning him as a child.

After this, he achieves peace of mind and is ready to return to his lodge to join his off-world companions on the Andes summit. However, just when it seemed things couldn’t get any stranger, a sixteenth-century sea captain sails his ancient ‘ghost’ ship onto the beach. Together, they sail off on a mystical ocean voyage to a couple of virtual islands supposedly in the South Pacific, where he witnesses and, at times, participates in several important life lessons.

Near the end, these encounters help prepare him for a new challenge within the interior of a mountain, where he falls deep into a dark tomb of fear. After being rescued by a mysterious stranger wielding his Excaliber, he continues on to where his life is about to be transformed in the following chronicle, Mystical Romance.

5. Mystical Romance is the fifth chronicle in Elysium’s Passage, which will surprise the reader with a romantic twist of how love is expressed in higher realms. From this lofty perspective, everything about intimacy is understood as within, so without.

After escaping his tomb, James, the narrator and protagonist, makes his way through a maze of tunnels until he arrives at a large oak door, which he opens with the golden key he had been given. There, he steps into Elysium’s Passage’s Great Hall, where his life and recent achievements are celebrated now that his eyes have been opened to perceive a fascinating interior world of wonderment… and romance.

To say more might risk diminishing the multitude of delightful surprises as circumstances begin to open to The Elixir, where James is about to re-enter his earthly body’s existence.

6. The Elixir is the sixth chronicle of the Elysium’s Passage series that prepares James, the narrator-protagonist, to awaken and return to his body in London. Before that can happen, however, his off-worlder friend presents a mysterious equation enshrouded with a light code frequency that will stimulate multidimensional DNA strands within him.

Much of this narration is centred in London, where his nurse unknowingly becomes involved in how the Elixir’s equation finds its way from a taxi cab driver to higher echelons of science. There are many twists in how she unwittingly brings the Elixir to the attention of mathematicians and physicists, after which they eventually discover how to code the equation into a laser ray to stimulate his fall-guy body into full consciousness.

Ostensibly a new Adam, he is destined to return humanity to a higher multidimensional existence. How this happens is filled with intrigue, as is his shocking return to his earthly body.­­­­­­­­­­­­­

7. The Return is the seventh and last chronicle in the series where James, the narrator and protagonist, has re-emerged from Elysium’s Passage as he readjusts to life in the third dimension. Many of the events experienced in the previous novels are tied together in an exciting, fast-moving, action-packed narrative over several countries.

 At first, it seems all memories have been lost, with his fall guy’s brain not being aware of what happened to him while in his coma. As a consequence, it takes a while for him to be convinced he has been out of his earthly body for almost a year.

Through some rather unexpected events and evidence, along with his girlfriend’s urging, he is brought to an awareness of much of what occurred. It takes a while for his mind to catch up with the changes made in his heart during his stay in the alternate realm. But after experiencing several harsh realities, he discovers what he became within while out of his body. Gradually, he comes to understand the many challenges that lie ahead for him in fulfilling his future mission on Earth.

This book is filled with adventure, romance and personal intrigue that ties together all six previous narratives of the Elysium’s Passage series.

 

Here's a little unprofessional video I did a few years ago where my little companion, Octavia, stole the show.