
Explanation of clandestine (adjective) secret; hidden; covert; stealthy; underhand
Sample of clandestine The clandestine plan must be kept between the two of us!
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Explanation of whimsical (adjective) fanciful; amusing; capricious
Sample of whimsical Strolling down Disney World's Main Street is bound to put child and grown-up alike in a whimsical mood. After announcing a determination to play serve-and-volley, whatever the event, the ultimate professional then proceeded to work chiefly from the baseline for five sets to defeat that whimsical artist Miloslav Mecir in the final of the Stuttgart Classic exhibition tournament here on Saturday.
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Explanation of effete (adjective) no longer productive; worn out; degenerate; exhausted
Sample of effete London papers in fact ate up the scandal, writing that the New York socialists would nevermore import a professional agitator from the effete monarchies of Europe.
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Explanation of compendium (noun) brief summary of the main ideas of a larger work; list of contents; inventory
Sample of compendium As a professional carver I thought it only natural to get my hands on one of those new Arbortech Woodcarvers to add to my compendium of tools last year. We have not heard it all before, unless we have read, as few of us have, Harriet Zinnes's compendium Ezra Pound and the Visual Arts , which all these essayists draw on very heavily.
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Explanation of civil (adjective) of or having to do with citizens or the state; polite; courteous
Sample of civil Some privacy and minority advocates are now seeing credit as a civil rights issue as minorities start to fight employers and insurers who base decisions on credit histories.
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Explanation of lavish (adjective) profuse or generous; given to extravagance; wasteful; generous
Sample of lavish Waiters in the silver national costume of Luctia bowed stiffly as they placed dish after lavish dish in front of the delegates.
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Explanation of motley (adjective) of various colors; of mixed ingredients; of great variety
Sample of motley When he stalked out he left her with a motley crew mostly of accountants and lawyers. The party is not a motley collection of ageing hippies, but an arm of a wealthy and complex organisation.
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Explanation of tenuous (adjective) thin; slim; delicate; weak; sparse
Sample of tenuous The hurricane force winds ripped the tenuous branches from the tree. The spectators panicked as they watched the cement block dangle from one tenuous piece of twine.
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Explanation of ignominious (adjective) contemptible; degrading; humiliating; ignoble; contempt; base; mean
Sample of ignominious The behavior was so ignominious he was ashamed to be associated with it. She left him because of his ignominious treatment of her.
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Explanation of machiavellian (adjective) sacrificing moral principles in order to attain power; politically cunning; crafty
Sample of machiavellian Although Javed Miandad is more popular with most of the Pakistani players than the aloof Imran, they have seldom played so effectively under his machiavellian leadership.
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