The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich Page A
Authors: Eugene Ehrlich
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strongly felt when her name repeatedly comes up in the question “What will Mrs. Grundy say?” The modern counter-part of this question is our own “What will the neighbors say?”
Related words: Grundyist and Grundyite (GRUN-dee- I T ) both nouns .
gudgeon (GUJ- e n) noun
1. a small freshwater fish used as bait.
2. a credulous person.
3. a dupe.
H
habitué (h e -BICH-oo- AY ) noun, plural habitués
one who visits a place regularly.
hagiography ( HAG -ee-OG-r e -fee) noun, plural hagiographies
the writing and study of the lives of saints.
Related words: hagiographer ( HAG -ee-OG-r e -f e r) noun , hagiographic ( HAG -ee- e -GRAF-ik) and hagiographical both adjectives .
halcyon (HAL-see- e n) adjective , less frequently given as halcyonian ( HAL -see-OH-nee- e n) and halcyonic ( HAL -see-ON-ik)
1. calm and peaceful.
2. happy and prosperous.
harbinger (HAHR-bin-j e r) noun
a person, event, or thing that announces the approach of another; a forerunner; an omen.
harridan (HAR-i-d e n) noun
a bad-tempered old woman; a shrew.
haruspex (h e -RUS-peks) noun, plural haruspices (h e -RUS-p e - SEEZ )
in ancient Rome, a priest who practiced divination, especially by examining the entrails of dead animals; a soothsayer.
Related words: haruspicy (h e -RUS-p e -see) and haruspication (h e - RUS -pi-KAY-sh e n) both nouns , haruspical (h e -RUS-pi-k e l) adjective .
hauteur (hoh-TUR) noun
1. haughtiness of manner.
2. arrogance.
healthful (HELTH-f e l) adjective
1. conducive to good health.
2. beneficial; salutary.
Do not confuse healthful with healthy , which see.
Related words: healthfully adverb , healthfulness noun .
healthy (HEL-thee) adjective
1. having or showing good health.
2. prosperous or sound.
In discussing climate, diet, and other factors affecting health, our best writers and speakers employ healthful in the sense of conducive to good health . In describing a person, situation, business etc. showing health, our best writers employ healthy in the sense of having or showing good health or, as appropriate, prosperous or sound . So widespread is the confusion of healthy with healthful that—you guessed it—permissive lexicographers sprinkle holy water on this example of poor usage by treating the two words as synonyms. There is little hope of reversing this trend, but you will do yourself no harm by continuing to maintain the separate meanings of healthful and healthy . In doing so, you will mark yourself as a careful writer by continuing to have a healthy respect for the English language and do yourself a lot of good by following healthful practices in your daily life.
Related words: healthily adverb , healthiness noun .
hebdomedal (heb-DOM- e -d e l) adjective
weekly.
Related word: hebdomadally adverb .
hebetude (HEB-i- TOOD ) noun
dullness, obtuseness; lethargy.
Related words: hebetate (HEB-i- TAYT ) verb , hebetudinous ( HEB -i-TOO-d e -n e s) adjective .
hector (HEK-t e r) verb
1. intimidate by bullying; bully.
2. treat with insolence.
hegemony (hi-JEM- e -nee) noun, plural hegemonies
1. dominance of leadership, especially by one nation over another.
2. leadership, predominance.
Related words: hegemonic ( HEJ - e -MON-ik) and hegemonical both adjectives , hegemonism (hi-JEM- e - NIZ - e m) and hegemonist (hi-JEM- e -nist) both nouns .
hegira (hi-J I -r e ) noun , also given as hejira , with the same pronunciation, and as hijra (HIJ-r e )
1. a journey undertaken to escape danger or to enjoy a more congenial place.
2. Hijra , the flight of Muhammad to Medina in A.D. 622.
heinous (HAY-n e s) adjective
very wicked,
Related words: Grundyist and Grundyite (GRUN-dee- I T ) both nouns .
gudgeon (GUJ- e n) noun
1. a small freshwater fish used as bait.
2. a credulous person.
3. a dupe.
H
habitué (h e -BICH-oo- AY ) noun, plural habitués
one who visits a place regularly.
hagiography ( HAG -ee-OG-r e -fee) noun, plural hagiographies
the writing and study of the lives of saints.
Related words: hagiographer ( HAG -ee-OG-r e -f e r) noun , hagiographic ( HAG -ee- e -GRAF-ik) and hagiographical both adjectives .
halcyon (HAL-see- e n) adjective , less frequently given as halcyonian ( HAL -see-OH-nee- e n) and halcyonic ( HAL -see-ON-ik)
1. calm and peaceful.
2. happy and prosperous.
harbinger (HAHR-bin-j e r) noun
a person, event, or thing that announces the approach of another; a forerunner; an omen.
harridan (HAR-i-d e n) noun
a bad-tempered old woman; a shrew.
haruspex (h e -RUS-peks) noun, plural haruspices (h e -RUS-p e - SEEZ )
in ancient Rome, a priest who practiced divination, especially by examining the entrails of dead animals; a soothsayer.
Related words: haruspicy (h e -RUS-p e -see) and haruspication (h e - RUS -pi-KAY-sh e n) both nouns , haruspical (h e -RUS-pi-k e l) adjective .
hauteur (hoh-TUR) noun
1. haughtiness of manner.
2. arrogance.
healthful (HELTH-f e l) adjective
1. conducive to good health.
2. beneficial; salutary.
Do not confuse healthful with healthy , which see.
Related words: healthfully adverb , healthfulness noun .
healthy (HEL-thee) adjective
1. having or showing good health.
2. prosperous or sound.
In discussing climate, diet, and other factors affecting health, our best writers and speakers employ healthful in the sense of conducive to good health . In describing a person, situation, business etc. showing health, our best writers employ healthy in the sense of having or showing good health or, as appropriate, prosperous or sound . So widespread is the confusion of healthy with healthful that—you guessed it—permissive lexicographers sprinkle holy water on this example of poor usage by treating the two words as synonyms. There is little hope of reversing this trend, but you will do yourself no harm by continuing to maintain the separate meanings of healthful and healthy . In doing so, you will mark yourself as a careful writer by continuing to have a healthy respect for the English language and do yourself a lot of good by following healthful practices in your daily life.
Related words: healthily adverb , healthiness noun .
hebdomedal (heb-DOM- e -d e l) adjective
weekly.
Related word: hebdomadally adverb .
hebetude (HEB-i- TOOD ) noun
dullness, obtuseness; lethargy.
Related words: hebetate (HEB-i- TAYT ) verb , hebetudinous ( HEB -i-TOO-d e -n e s) adjective .
hector (HEK-t e r) verb
1. intimidate by bullying; bully.
2. treat with insolence.
hegemony (hi-JEM- e -nee) noun, plural hegemonies
1. dominance of leadership, especially by one nation over another.
2. leadership, predominance.
Related words: hegemonic ( HEJ - e -MON-ik) and hegemonical both adjectives , hegemonism (hi-JEM- e - NIZ - e m) and hegemonist (hi-JEM- e -nist) both nouns .
hegira (hi-J I -r e ) noun , also given as hejira , with the same pronunciation, and as hijra (HIJ-r e )
1. a journey undertaken to escape danger or to enjoy a more congenial place.
2. Hijra , the flight of Muhammad to Medina in A.D. 622.
heinous (HAY-n e s) adjective
very wicked,
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