o·vert
/ōˈvərt,ˈōvərt/
adjective
done or shown openly; plainly or readily apparent, not secret or hidden.
"an overt act of aggression"
Similar: undisguised, unconcealed, plain to see, plain
nu·ance
/ˈn(y)o͞oˌäns/
noun
a subtle difference in shade of meaning, expression, or sound.
"the nuances of facial expression and body language"
Similar: fine distinction, shade, degree, subtlety, refinement
verb
give nuances to.
"the effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners"
mus·ter
/ˈməstər/
verb
1. assemble (troops), especially for inspection or in preparation for battle.
"17,000 men had been mustered on Haldon Hill"
Similar: assemble, bring together, marshal, mobilize, rally, raise, summon, gather, mass, convene, call to arms
Opposite: disperse
2. collect or assemble (a number or amount).
"the city council was unable to muster enough votes to pass the measure"
RARE
a group of peacocks.
"the sound was like the cry of a muster of peacocks"
lan·guish
/ˈlaNGɡwiSH/
verb
1. (of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble.
"plants may appear to be languishing simply because they are dormant"
Similar: weaken, grow weak, deteriorate, decline, wither, wilt, fade, fail, waste away
Opposite: thrive, flourish
2 suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation.
"he has been languishing in jail since 1974"
Similar: waste away, rot, decay, wither away, molder, be abandoned
ken
/ken/
noun
one's range of knowledge or sight.
"such determination is beyond my ken"
Similar: knowledge, awareness, understanding, grasp, comprehension
verb
SCOTTISH•NORTHERN ENGLISH
know.
"d'ye ken anyone who can boast o’ that?"
ju·ris·dic·tion
/ˌjo͝orəsˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
1. the official power to make legal decisions and judgments.
"federal courts had no jurisdiction over the case"
Similar:authority, control, power, sway, influence
o the extent of the power to make legal decisions and judgments.
"the claim will be within the jurisdiction of the industrial tribunal"
o a system of law courts; a judicature.
plural noun: jurisdictions
"in some jurisdictions there is a mandatory death sentence for murder"
im·per·a·tive
/əmˈperədiv/
adjective
of vital importance; crucial.
"immediate action was imperative"
Similar: vitally important, all-important, crucial, essential, pressing, required
Opposite: unimportant, optional
2. giving an authoritative command; peremptory.
"the bell pealed again, a final imperative call"
Similar: commanding, authoritative, overbearing, assertive, firm, insistent, bossy
Opposite: submissive
noun
an essential or urgent thing.
"free movement of labor was an economic imperative"
hin·drance
/ˈhindrəns/
noun
noun: hindrance; plural noun: hindrances
a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone.
"a hindrance to the development process"
Similar: impediment, obstacle, barrier, bar, obstruction, block
gaunt
\ ˈgȯnt , ˈgänt \
Adjective
1: excessively thin and angular, a long gaunt face
Synonyms: cadaverous, emaciated, haggard, skeletal, wasted
ec·cen·tric
\ ik-ˈsen-trik , ek- \
Adjective
1a: deviating (different) from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways e.g. an eccentric millionaire
b: deviating (different) from an established or usual pattern or style
Synonyms: bizarre, far-out, odd, offbeat, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, quirky, remarkable, strange, way-out, weird
Noun
1: a person who behaves in odd or unusual ways: an eccentric lived in the old house
Synonyms: character, codger, crackpot, crank, oddball, oddity
dis·cern
/dəˈsərn/
verb
perceive or recognize (something).
"I can discern no difference between the two policies"
distinguish (someone or something) with difficulty by sight or with the other senses.
"she could faintly discern the shape of a skull"
Similar: perceive, make out, pick out, detect, recognize, notice
chas·tise
/ˈCHasˌtīz,ˌCHaˈstīz/
verb
1. rebuke or reprimand severely.
"he chastised his colleagues for their laziness"
Similar: scold, upbraid, berate, reprimand, reprove, rebuke, admonish, chide, censure, castigate, lambaste
Opposite: praise
o DATED
punish, especially by beating.
"the General cruelly chastised them with a whip"
Similar: punish, discipline, beat, thrash, flog, whip, horsewhip, strap
be·nign
/bəˈnīn/
adjective
1. gentle and kindly.
"his benign but firm manner"
Similar: kindly, kind, warmhearted, good-natured, friendly, warm
Opposite: unfriendly, hostile
MEDICINE
(of a disease) not harmful in effect.
"a benign condition"
a·dept
adjective /əˈdept/
1. very skilled or proficient at something.
"he is adept at cutting through red tape"
Similar: Expert, proficient, accomplished, skillful, talented, gifted
Opposite: Inept, mediocre,
Noun /ˈadept,əˈdept/
1. a person who is skilled or proficient at something.
"they are adepts at kung fu and karate"