OWN THESE WORDS!

By Noah Bhody

Do you get frustrated when you can't think of a particular word? Is it depressing when you hear or read a word whose definition escapes you? Do you envy those who possess a superior vocabulary? Do you embarrass yourself by mispronouncing words? Do you feel intimidated when trying to converse with "intelligent" people?

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• Language: English
• Publisher: GoldTouch Press, LLC
• Release date: Jan 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781956803822

Noah Bhody

Crème Puff, the co-author, is a pure bred, copper-eyed Persian with a cream coat, and is an authority on Sudoku. Through Felineancestory.com, she traced her heritage to Abyssinians from three millennia ago. In that time period, the Egyptians were bored and wanted a new game. Not surprisingly, they turned to their revered companions (cats) and requested that they provide them with some new type of amusement. To ensure that the Egyptians would always remember felines, her ancestors developed a grid with a nine-space layout (commemorating their favorite number), and called it tic-tac-toe. However, due to the incredible intellect and cunning of cats, the Ancients were unable to ever beat their furry pets...hence the phrase "cat game". Not wishing to take advantage of a lesser species, the Abyssinians decided to invent a new game which would not compel the Egyptians to compete with cats. As in tic-tac-toe, her ancestors kept the 9-space grid, but this time they arranged nine of these in a square matrix. And so, Sudoku was born.

Book preview

Own These Words!

Noah Bhody

Copyright © 2022 by Noah Bhody.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2021922072

Paperback:    978-1-956803-81-5

eBook:            978-1-956803-82-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Contents

Dedication

Introduction

How To Use The Book

Look What The Cat Dragged In!

Small But Powerful

A Furniture Buffet!

A Foursome, Part 1

Ladies’ Day

From Soup To Nuts

A Foursome, Part 2

Acid Test

A Foursome, Part 3

Mind The Gap!

It Would Be A Crime To Miss These!

A Foursome, Part 4

You May See The Doctor Now

A Foursome, Part 5

Some Blue-Chip Twosomes

Males---The Good Side

A Foursome, Part 6

How Y’all Doin’?

A Foursome, Part 7

Bandy These About!

Fear Not!

Always Accentuate The Positive

Professions, Part 1

It Will Behoove You To Know These Words Well

Religious Officials

Flower Power

The Whole Kit And Caboodle!

A Man’s Home Is His Castle

Don’t Dally Or Dawdle Over These!

Hats Off To Men Today

Studying Vocabulary Words Now, Augurs Well For Your Future!

Twenty More For Your Edification

Now You’re Cooking!

Be Fastidious In Your Pursuit Of A Topnotch Vocabulary!

Being Politically Correct

It’s A Suite Life

Here’s A Gallimaufry Of Twenty For You!

It’s Alimentary, My Dear Watson

Take These Words To Heart!

Two Can Play At This Game

Batten Down The Hatches!

Let No Impediment Deter You From Your Goal!

Separate The Wheat From The Chaff

Don’t Be Lackadaisical In Your Efforts!

Parts Of Speech, 1

Rites Of Passage

Move On---No Malingering Allowed!

Warlords

A Nettlesome Word Or Two

Remember To Peat And Repeat Each Word

Just What The Doctor Ordered!

Your Odyssey Continues

Make Yourself At Home

Mind Your P’s And Q’s!

Cheers!

Take The Plunge!

You Will Parlay Your Outstanding Vocabulary Into Big Bucks!

Complacency Is The Enemy Of Learning

Your Rabid Determination To Enhance Your Vocabulary Is Admirable

Straight From The Horse’s Mouth

Do A Double Take

A Salmagundi Of Interesting Words

You Reap What You Sow---Especially With Vocabulary Development

Those Who Possess A Good Vocabulary Are Seldom Taciturn

By-And-By You Will Develop A Masterful Vocabulary

Keeping Shipshape

Be Unflagging And Unfaltering In Perfecting Your Vocabulary

Government Terminology

After You Complete This Book, You Will Never Again Feel Vacuous

Parts Of Speech, 2

Religion---Positive Aspects

This List Ends Not With A Bang, But With A Whimper

Blue-Collar Garb

Here’s Acute List Of Words For You

No One Will Ever Be Able To Deprecate Your Vocabulary!

Getting To The Heart Of The Matter

You Will Bewitch Your Friends With Your Expanded Vocabulary

A Roof Over Your Head

Vocabulary Enhancement Is A Catalyst For Positive Change

Down The Hatch!

Others Will Want To Emulate Your Vocabulary Skills

It Would Be Deplorable To Omit These Words!

Females---The Enchanting Side

Your Eloquence Is Beginning To Show

Off The Beaten Track

Have Your Day In Court

You Will Be In Fine Fettle After You Complete This Book

No Horsing Around---Get Going!

Giddy Up!

The Sound Of Music

Words Of War Or War Of Words?

A Hodgepodge Of Twenty

You Will Soon Be An Eminent Authority On Vocabulary

Hardly An Imponderable Group

No (Poetic) License Required

Religion---The Dark Side

No Loitering Zone---Keep Moving!

You Will Pass This Day With Flying Colors

You Will Be Known As The Vocabulary Maven

Bone Up On These

A Bird’s Eye View

Penultimate Is Penultimate!

The Great Outdoors

Your Relentless Pursuit Of A Superior Vocabulary Will Be Realized

Speak Your Mind

Be Sedulous In Your Pursuit Of A Super Vocabulary

On The Warpath

Don’t Let These Words Throw You Into A Tizzy

Be Expeditious In Handling These Words

Quite An Agglomeration!

The Official List

A Bizarre Group

Two For The Price Of One

An Expanded Vocabulary Will Give You Charisma

Not For The Faint-Hearted

Voice Male (And Female)

Don’t Be Derelict In The Development Of Your Vocabulary!

Medical Problems---Physical

An Engrossing Group That Is Certain To Enrapture You!

Males---The Dark Side, Part 1

On The Waterfront

Don’t Get Flustered By This Group!

If You’ve Got It (A Good Vocabulary), Flaunt It!

As Your Vocabulary Grows, You Will Become More Gregarious

Ologies & Isms

This Is For The Birds

Another Group To Inculcate

Professions, Part 2

A Mishmash Of Mesmerizing Minutia

In A Manner Of Speaking

You Are Going To Have An Inimitable Vocabulary!

Peripheral Processor

Medical Problems---Mental

Remedial Education

Can You Break This Twenty Into Various Denominations?

Letter Of The Law

Don’t Shirk Your Duty---Keep Going!

Double-Talk

Amplify Your Vocabulary With These Words

Just Desserts!

A Bracing Array Of Words For Your Edification

Don’t Let This Group Intimidate You

Cogitate As You Tackle These

Test The Waters

None Of These Words Will CREATE a Dilemma for You

Great Guns!

Your Peers Will Think Of You As Being Erudite

Printer Friendly?

Your Formidable Vocabulary Will Inspire Others

A Different Kettle Of Fish

Your Prognosis (For Attaining An Exquisite Vocabulary) Is Excellent

None Of These Words Will Inhibit Your Progress

Home Away From Home

A Motley Crew

Little Miss Muffet…

Keep Your Head Above Water

Would You Characterize These Words As Pithy Or Picayune?

Day By Day You Grow More Lucid

With Your New Vocabulary, You Will Never Again Be Reticent

The Ball’s In Your Court!

Double Up!

Only A Smattering Of Your Time Will Be Required For This Group

Every Dog Has Its Day

You Will Be Known For Your Unimpeachable Vocabulary!

Three To Get Ready And Four To Go!

Don’t Miss The Boat!

You Will Handle This Group With Aplomb

Politics---The Dark Side

Buffer Zone

Write Up Your Alley!

Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day

No Collateral Damage Here

Dressed To Kill

You Will Be Thought Of As Discerning, Owing To Your Incredible Vocabulary

Manna From (Vocabulary) Heaven!

Labor Of Love Or Love Of Labor?

Your Dedication In Pursuit Of An Advanced Vocabulary Is Exemplary!

Build These Words Into Your Vocabulary

Not A Frivolous Word On The Page!

Everything But The Kitchen Sink!

If You’ve Gotten This Far, You Must Have A Penchant For Vocabulary Development!

Intelligentsia Here You Come!

Females---The Unpleasant Side

A Broad Vocabulary Is The Antidote To Prattle

Down-To-Earth

Lay Down The Law!

A One-Day Sojourn

Are We Having Fauna Yet?

You Have An Aptitude For This---Keep Going!

Music To Your Ears

Armed To The Teeth

Make A Concerted Effort To Improve Your Vocabulary Each Day

Many Times A Good Vocabulary Is A Prerequisite To Career Advancement

Be Dogged In Your Quest For A Superlative Vocabulary

Hit The Books!

It Is Written!

[Your Title Goes Here]

Roll Out The Red Carpet

An Enhanced Vocabulary Will Serve As A Springboard For Your Future Success

An Eye-Opener!

Go Hog Wild!

An Arresting Group For Those Who Aspire To Have A Terrific Vocabulary

Room Service

A Conglomeration Of Twenty For The Consummate Vocabulary Master

Fabric Of Our Society

Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew!

Your Prolific Vocabulary Will Set You Apart From Others

You Will Be Identified As A Vocabulary Prodigy!

Be Steadfast In Your Daily Routine!

Heavens Above!

In The Eyes Of The Law

People Will Ask To What You Attribute Your Incredible Vocabulary!

Sink Your Teeth Into These

None Of These Words Will Prove To Be A Conundrum For You

Two-Timers

Males---The Dark Side, Part 2

You Will Subjugate This Entire Group; None Will Stymie You

Just Say The Word!

Covert Action Required

None Of These Words Will Prove To Be Refractory To You

Isms

Vocabulary Development Would Never Be Characterized As Busywork

Professions, Part 3

You Will Extol The Virtues Of Vocabulary Development

Marry Go Round

Take The Bull By The Horns!

Resistance Is Futile---Attack These Words With Gusto!

Over My Dead Body!

Don’t Be Hoodwinked---This Is Anything But A Humdrum Group!

You’ll Cotton To These!

No Cause For Solicitude With These Words!

Don’t Become Jaded---That Would Put The Kibosh On Your Vocabulary Development

Food For Thought

With Your Knack For Vocabulary Betterment, You’ll Easily Pass Muster On These

Economic Systems

Face The Music

Nothing To Nitpick On This List

Don’t Let These Get Under Your Skin

Some Puissant Words Are Contained Here-In

Double Duty

Shape Up Or Ship Out

In Retrospect, This Is Hardly A Rudimentary List

Don’t Waver As You Traverse This Group

My Supposition Is That You Will Cut A Wide Swath Through This Group

State-Of-The-Art

Your Holy Grail Is The Pursuit Of A Perfect Vocabulary!

Have No Trepidation In Tackling These Words

Military Action

Your Zeal For Perfecting Your Vocabulary Has Paid Off!

You’re Going To Have The Memory Of An Elephant!

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the most important people in my life! That would be my loving wife Sandy, our daughters Sabrina and Melissa, and our grandkids Harry and Darla and Lola.

Introduction

One of the most sublime aspects of the English language is being able to utilize different words, having approximately the same meaning, to describe an action or event. One of the most disconcerting aspects of the English language is being able to utilize different words, having approximately the same meaning, to describe an action or event. Is your glass half full or half empty?

Do you find it to be a godsend or an annoyance that words such as agglomeration, amalgam, blend, conglomeration, farrago, gallimaufry, hodgepodge, jumble, medley, mishmash, mixture, olio, potpourri, salmagundi---and others!---are used interchangeably? Is this a salutary feature of our language or information overload?

In fact, in the preceding group of synonyms, each word used to have its own unique, albeit similar, meaning. However, over time these differences morphed, and the foregoing collection of words is now used as if each meant the same thing. Your hodgepodge is my gallimaufry!

Additionally, our language is knee-deep in idioms. Phrases like knee-deep or burn one’s bridges abound, principally because they paint such a clear picture.

As a result, there are currently over 500,000 words, idioms, etc., contained in our language (versus 100,000 at the time of Shakespeare!). Most of us are comfortable with the rudimentary words which form the basis of our daily communications. At the opposite end of the spectrum there’s a plethora of technical/scientific/medical/legal jargon that is of no use to the vast majority of us. I undertook the assignment of discovering what resided in between. I used various sources to compile lists of words that separate those with a pedestrian vocabulary from those with a superior vocabulary.

To my surprise, there are about 5000 words that, if comprehended, will place an individual in the upper echelons of those who are adept at skillful communications. There were too many to stop at 4000 and not enough to venture on to 6000. Being a philologist, I found this to be utterly exciting! However, I realize most people couldn’t care less, feeling a high degree of comfort in being fluent in such staples as great, fine, and okay.

For whom then is this book designed? Generally, I envision three beneficiary groups. For those in school, this tome will serve as an excellent tool for preparing for exams that test one’s vocabulary proficiency.

For those in the work force, being able to communicate proficiently with panache is a launching pad to promotion and advancement. It is impossible to camouflage a poor vocabulary! In contrast, those who have embraced these 5000 power words will wax eloquently!

Since I deal with seniors in my day job, I also had that age group in mind when preparing this book. Believe it or not, most Boomers will spend longer in retirement than they did in the work force! (If you haven’t read some of the books authored by Dr. Ken Dychtwald that address aging, you need to do so promptly!) So this begs the question: What are you going to do with all that time? You better keep the gray matter active, or it, like your body, will atrophy! Without stimulation, you will experience cerebral vegetation. Please understand that I’m not suggesting that this is a panacea to aging, but it will certainly help keep the synapses firing.

Regardless of your motivation for tackling this book, there will be commonalities that you will share. All of you will have several epiphanies at seeing, for the first time in writing, words that you have uttered or heard. Can you say Aha! You will be surprised, perhaps to a greater degree, by the correct pronunciations of some of the words that you frequently use. Can you say Whoops!

After experimenting with various approaches on how to package these 5000 words for you, the traditional prosaic methods of delivery (e.g., alphabetization or by root families), were found wanting and summarily dismissed. Using myself as a guinea pig, I decided that the overriding factor for successful vocabulary mastery was repetition. Unless you have a photographic memory, you are deluding yourself if you think that this will be an easy, expeditious journey. Oh contraire! These words as laid out are designed to be conquered and assimilated over a one-year period!

There are 20 words per page, with a total of 250 pages. It will take you the lion’s share of an hour a day, five days a week, for a year to complete the book. This might seem to be a daunting task, but as with most things in life, anything worth having usually takes effort to achieve. If you commute, do it then (as I did). If you don’t commute, you might be shocked to discover that missing 30 to 60 minutes a day of the drivel that issues forth from the idiot-box will not be deleterious to your health!

To lessen the tedium of rote memorization of a list of words, I have arrayed them according to topics. For example, you will find days dedicated to words related to animals, plants, architecture, clothing, colors, food, females, geography, government, legal terminology, medicine, music, males, nautical terms, parts of speech, phobias/ologies/isms, professions, religion, words that sound/look similar, sports, war and weapons. This comprises about half the