Askance

adv: with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval

Thomas was askance toward the news of Christ's resurrection.

Meredith thinks askance of many who claim to be Beach Boys fans.

I like The Velvet Underground.

I looked askance at my cup of gross apple cider vinegar water before drinking it.

Many look askance at the Bible dismissing all the treasure within.

This is another sentence with "askance" in it.

Desultory

do we still do this?

adj: lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm;
in conversation, going halfheartedly from one subject to another in an unfocused way;
occurring randomly or occasionally

this word was taken from the simon & garfunkel song titled "A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission)"

Meredith used to feel sad and desultory because she had no plans for her future. She still has few plans, but she no longer feels sad or desultory.
Meredith used to fear that Tim would hate her desultory conversation, so she wouldn't talk as much.
Tim's birthday plans for Meredith were not desultory in the least.
God has to be angry when my prayers seem desultory and selfish.
The Beach Boy's mention of the beach, girls, and cars in their songs is not desultory. Rather, it is evident in every song.

this word was tricky.

Extrapolate

v: extend the application of (a method or conclusion, especially of statistics) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable.

or to estimate or conclude in this way.

Tim is trying to extrapolate his relationship with Meredith based on the previous week.

Extrapolating is retarded.

Abraham extrapolated that God would render Isaac's sacrifice for good based on Isaac's miraculous birth.

 I extrapolate that Meredith will do many good things for many people based on the evidence presented in my many phone calls with her.

Long live the Vocab Blog.

Bereft

ADJ
deprived of or lacking something, esp. a nonmaterial asset.
[archaic past participle of bereave]

Meredith is bereft of the vocab club.
Meredith is bereft of Tim.
Meredith is sad, but confident that she will not be bereft of God's love and care.
Meredith will soon be bereft of the United States.

Tim is bereft of Florida.
Tim is not bereft of Beach Boy's albums :)
Tim is Meredith's favorite.
Meredith forgot how much fun the vocab club could be.

Meredith misses Tim.

Anachronism

N: a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old fashioned.  

an act of attributing a custom, event or object to a period in which is doesn't belong.

Some feel that my record collection is anachronistic.  I feel that it is amazing.

Certain scholars note the anachronistic quality of certain Old Testament verses in the Bible.  These scholars claim that inspired men revealed unknown truths concerning truths of our universe (such as "the paths of the sea" and the spherical nature of our globe).  Gary Fisher just thinks it's poetic language.

I like Meredith's anachronistic style.  Now everyone wants an ugly hat from the 20's as well.

Maybe one day, when Tim and Meredith's friendship is more provincial, a two hour phone conversation will seem anachronistic.

I fear the day when MP3's become anachronisms in our ever changing world.  How more convenient and intangible can music become?

This is a good word.  Not to be confused with Acronym (T.M.V.C (Tim & Meredith's Vocab Club).

Provincial

ADJ
of or concerning a province or empire

“…there must be more than this provincial life” (belle)

Jesus was looked down upon because of his provincial association with Nazareth.
Paul was looked up upon because of his provincial association with Rome (he was a Roman citizen).
It seems like Tim gets tired of his provincial living situation sometimes.
Meredith doesn’t really thrive on provincial dorm life. Too many people.
Tim will be provincially close to Meredith in 3 days ☺
Provincial sounds like providential sounds like provide sounds like progeny.
I put white strips on my teeth and I had a lisp for a little while.
This word is boring.
I have to study for finals.

Deluge

n: a severe flood.  a heavy fall of rain.  figuratively a great quantity of something arriving at the same time.

v: to flood with a great quantity of something.

The God sent deluge purified His creation of sinners.

I am often found sliding across the Florida College golf course when there is a sudden deluge of rainfall.

Moses was overwhelmed by the people's deluge of complaints.

I hope Meredith isn't overwhelmed by the deluge of exams this Monday.

I hope Meredith is overwhelmed by the deluge of fun times this Monday.

Is our blog able to handle the deluge of visual aids?

It is not uncommon for the Lord to be deluged with prayers subsequent to my sins.

Meredith is periodically deluged with Photoshop pictures, just as Tim is periodically deluged with funny photos of Meredith not studying.

My least favorite olympic sport is deluge.

Meredith is cool.

Caveat

N: a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions or limitations.

L. literally "let a person beware." Not that you care.

God gave the children of Israel a caveat not to touch the ark.
Paul delivered a caveat which warned that having partial judgment will incur us to God's wrath.
Bonnie & Clyde (right) imply the caveat that they will shoot.
I think Bonnie & Clyde are stylish.
Tim dropped the caveat on Ben that we might not go to his game because of my birthday.
Meredith isn't really aggressive enough to give caveats.
"Caveat: Do not try this at home."

Accolade

n: 1.) an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit.  an expression of praise or admiration 

2.) a touch on one person's shoulder with a sword at the bestowing of knighthood

First, hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!! sorry, that's a funny picture (wipes tear away).  I'm sorry some mother's son for laughing at your son.  My laughter is definitely not an accolade.

Meredith received many accolades for her stunning performance in "This World Is Not My Home".

This kid has OD accolades.

The "My Child is an Honor Student" bumper sticker is a dorky accolade (maybe I'm just bitter that my mother wouldn't put mine on her car).

Speaking of dorky accolades, I think Tim and Meredith are due a few.

Elton John received his accolade before being knighted.  Now he rides around the marshes fighting dragons and saving princesses...and princes.

The accolade sung to David incited Saul to jealousy.

I be rollin and lookin pimp in my accolade.

Inkling

N: a slight knowledge or suspicion; a hint.

This word is so cute! I can't handle it.

late mid. english; in the sense of a mention or undertone. from the rare verb inkle. Probably related to the verb inclined.

I have an inkling that that dude likes records.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians because he had more than an inkling that the Corinthians were doing some stuff wrong.
Meredith has an inkling that Tim is still asleep.
Tim really only has inklings about his plans for each day.
Meredith only knows inklings about her classes.
Meredith has to go to class in ten minutes and does not have an inkling of being ready... so she has to stop using the word inkling in a sentence.

Tempestuous

adj: 1.) characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion.  2.) Very stormy.

Peter is known as the tempestuous Apostle.

Meredith is not tempestuous.

Driving in New York makes me very tempestuous.

I don't think I was ready for Vocab Club today.

I don't like it when it is tempestuous (unless if I'm sliding on the FC golf course).

Meredith fears that Seminary Dan may react tempestuously during their studies.

I'm tempted to stop writing sentences with the word "tempestuous".

Pristine

ADJ: 1 belonging to the earliest period or state: ORIGINAL.
2a not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted: PURE b fresh and clean, as if new.

1 The pristine tale of the thousand paper cranes maintains that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes pleases the gods and is granted a wish.
Believing in these gods takes us away from our pristine purpose of serving the true God.
Tim LOVES LOVES LOVES his pristine record collection.
Meredith likes to think her thoughts are pristine.

2 Meredith likes her pristine sweatband.
Tim doesn't care whether his socks are pristine or if they are old and gross.
Meredith likes her milk pristine or not at all.
Jesus's death is able to make us pristine, despite our sin.

*Credit for word choice goes fully to the NYT Word of the Day & Merriam-Webster, though I did come across the word yesterday and wonder how to spell it. I am trying to overcome vocab block (similar to writer's block); figured it was better to continue than to quit.

Nefarious

adj: (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal

There is a picture of Meredith that would be appropriate for this post, but putting it online would be too nefarious a deed (can you guess which picture?).

Judas' nefarious betrayal was predicted by Christ Himself.

Ignorantly trashing The Beach Boys is nefarious.

Squeezing the toothpaste tube from the middle is especially nefarious.

It would be nefarious if I was lying to Meredith about coming to Florida.

Our sin against God resembles a wife nefariously cheating on her spouse.

Implacable

ADJ: relentless, unstoppable

Despite persecutions and imprisonment, Paul an implacable servant of God.
David's bright eye's and ruddy cheeks made him implacable against Goliath.
Unfortunately, Ananias and Sapphira were implacable liars.

Meredith hopes that despite her calling and waking Tim up, his efforts to get rest were implacable.
Tim's need for solitude was implacable after being around kids all day.
If Tim continues to swig apple cider vinegar, his improvement in health will be implacable.

Meredith's efforts to study and write papers are never implacable.
Meredith's attempt to stay dry on a rain day was futile; getting wet was implacable.
Meredith's excitement about Tim's visit is implacable.

Organon

n: an instrument of thought especially a means of reasoning or a system of logic.

Tim and Meredith pride themselves in their many supercilious organons (regarding such things as apple cider vinegar, The Beach Boys, musical compilations, grammar, the word "prodigal", pre-cal teachers, slouchy clothes, etc...")

My dad's most valuable organon for Bible study is asking "what is the point?"

Sigmund Freud has many organons intended to disproove the existence of God (and they all have something to do with sex).

The Pharisees began to trust their man-made organon rather than the truth revealed in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy reveals the true organon of Godliness ("love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength").

I'm surprised we don't have an organon dictating our friendship yet.  Maybe soon.

Meredith is my friend (my newest organon).

Impotent

ADJ: unable to take effective action; helpless and powerless

origin late mid Eng. meaning powerless

Meredith felt impotent towards changing Tim's love for the Beach Boys, but not impotent in getting Tim to remove the Beach Boy's MP3.
King Eglon was impotent when Ehud killed him with his left-handed sword.
Sisera was impotent against Jael when she struck him with a tent peg.
Tim realized that Meredith's chances of being less weird were impotent.
Meredith is starting to think that her study habits are impotent.
Meredith also feels that her possession of Excel is impotent.
Are Meredith's chances of coming to the city impotent?
Are Tim and Meredith ever going to see each other?
Earlier this morning, Meredith felt impotent towards coming up with a vocab word.

Guise

n: an external form or appearance or manner of presentation, typically concealing the true nature of something. 

The Pharisees' worship of God was no more than a guise.  They wanted to kill Jesus for His condemnation of this very trait.

Though I love the Beatles' music, I find their universally endorsed guise of being inspired enlightened leaders of the world to be dissatisfying (as well as their arrogance).

Meredith and I pray that out spiritual growth is more than a guise.

Most politicians are hard to like after their guise has been removed.

Meredith's guise of being tastefully superior is both supercilious and endearing.

The pretty label is a guise concealing that inner grossness of apple cider vinegar.

A geyser is a guise of...nothing.

I said, "Hey guys, a guise can be misleading."

"You want guise with that?"

Affinity

N: a spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for something/someone.

(often affinity between/for/with)

Jesus had an affinity for the blind people and for little kids.
There is an affinity between Tim & Meredith.
Tim has an affinity for Brian Wilson.
Meredith has an affinity for vinegar.
There was an endearing affinity between David & Jonathan.
Meredith hopes Tim will have a greater affinity for apple cider vinegar after it cures him.
Tim has an affinity for the idea of having his records on display.
Meredith has an infinite affinity for Hannah T.
Tim and Meredith share an affinity for many things, including olives, clothes, and Simon & G.
God has an affinity for us, which is displayed in his plan for our salvation.

Obviate

v: remove (a need or difficulty).  avoid or prevent

The Vocab Club obviates the need to buy a "word of the day" calendar.

Wearing more clothes obviates the need to turn up the heat.

Talking to Meredith obviates the need to have real friends.

Jesus Christ obviates our sins and the need for animal sacrifice.

Haman obviated the king's need to build gallows for his execution because he had already constructed them.

Simon & Garfunkel obviate the need for Meredith to listen to anything else.

Meredith is the obviator of Tim's sadness.

Reading the Bible is the obviation for therapy.   

Catalyst

N
a substance that increases the rate of chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change; figuratively, a person or thing that precipitates an event.
(Clearly, I care about the latter definition)

The catastrophe acted as a catalyst for her spiritual caprice, because she came face to face with the realization that she nearly died.
After hearing Tim's detailed opinion about the Beach Boy's, it was an anomaly to find that Tim likes Soulja Boy and Miley Cyrus.
Summer camp can act as a catalyst for spiritual growth.
God's strength + long hair was a catalyst for Samson's strength.
The olive/vinegar/pickle/mustard aisle was a catalyst for Meredith's mood :)

Abjure

v: to solemnly renounce (a belief or claim).

tim was excited when meredith abjured her distaste for the Beach Boys.

thrice peter denied Christ, but thankfully he didn't abjure Him.

through beatings and scourging paul never abjured Christ.

paul abjured his former life after seeing Christ on the road to Damascus.

i was 21 when i finally abjured all "Greatest Hits Collections".

Anomaly

N
something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected;

from L. anomalia meaning "uneven, irregular"

Christianity is an anomaly from our normal desires.
My SAT math score was an anomaly from my normal performance in math class.
It was an anomaly that Ben and Hannah became friends.

Caprice

n: a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior.

Sometimes, a caprice will get someone to church, but it takes much more to dedicate them to Christ. 

Tim and Meredith make rules and regulations to maintain control of their many caprices.

Meredith's many caprices make for long enjoyable discussions on the phone.

Take this man to go swimmin' wit the fishes.  Caprice?

Hopeful

tim is hopeful that meredith will still vocabulate.

Architect

N
A person who designs buildings and in many cases also supervises their construction; a person responsible for inventing or realizing a particular idea or project.

also, to be architected
trans. V
to design or make

from Gk. arkhitekton "master builder"

architects may come and / architects may go and / never change your point of view

God is the architect for our salvation and our home in heaven.
Simon & Garfunkel wrote about Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous architect.
Tim is often the architect for the things he and Meredith pursue.

God architected Jesus as the chief cornerstone.
Simon & Garfunkel architected music that is beloved by Meredith Qualls.
Tim architected an entire opinion about peanuts and raisins.

Operatics

N: the production or performance of operas.  

theatrically exaggerated or overemotional behavior.

it is well known that the MET's operatics are the best in the world.

The Pharisaical operatics when praying and fasting render no spiritual reward.

Tim found Meredith's operatics entertaining when she described her pre-cal teacher.

10 dollars if you know where i heard this word.

Overt

ADJ
done or shown openly; plain or readily apparent, not secret or hidden

from Fr. ovrir "to open"

Under the new covenant, God's glory is overt.
Though he tries to mask it, Tim's sense of style is overt.
Meredith often tries to be nonchalant, but her sentiments are generally overt.
Tim and Meredith are overt in their interest in vocabulary and defining words.
They are also overt in their nerdiness.

I wish it was a verb:

Meredith overts that she likes stripes and solid colors.
Tim overts that the burden of listening to new music is too much.

But, it isn't :(

Tenet

a principle or belief, especially one of the main principle beliefs of a religion or philosophy.

The foremost tenet of I John is that we receive eternal life through belief in Christ Jesus.

One of my supercilious tenets is a whole-scale rejection of "Greatest Hits Collections".

I don't know any tenets of Aristotle's writings.  Do you?

Meredith isn't a ninet.  She's a perfect tenet!

Aberration

N
A departure from what is normal, usual, expected, typically one that is unwelcome;
A person whose beliefs or behavior are unacceptable;
A departure from one's usual moral character or mental ability.

also aberrational (ADJ)

from L. abberare which means 'to stray'

Saul's jealousy and hatred towards David became an aberration from the leader he was supposed to be.
Meredith's aberrational feelings toward Mr. Johnson, her high-school Pre-Calculus teacher, are still alive.
The difficultly in using the word aberration in a sentence is an aberration from the fun of vocab-blogging.

Tantamount

ADJ: equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as

The resignations were tantamount to admissions of guilt (that wasn't my sentence, but this is a tough word to understand so i thought i would use the dictionary's sentence as well).

Meredith's extended prayers are tantamount to her faith in God.

God's promise of Abraham's son was tantamount to Sarai's conception.

Meredith's pre-cal teacher is tantamount to Satan ;)

Meredith is tantamount to totally awesome!

Staunch

adjective
loyal & committed in attitude; of strong or firm construction.
derived from Fr. estanche meaning dried up or weary.
in the sense of strong & substantial; similar to resolute

transitive verb
to stop or restrict (a flow of blood) from a wound.

ADJ
Following the spring holiday, Meredith maintained a staunch demeanor regarding her return to classes.
Tim is a staunch supporter of Jessica Carter.
Paul staunchly desired to do the work of the Lord.

V
Gregory House saved a life by staunching the flow of blood and stopping the patient's seizures.
When David killed the lion with his bare hands, he didn't bother to staunch the bleeding.

[Today's word was chosen strongly on the basis of phonetic appeal.]

Myriad

A MYRIAD OF MEREDITHS

noun: a countless or extremely great number.

God promised Abraham a myriad of descendants.

adj: countless or extremely in great number.  

the myriad angels proclaim the glory of God in Revelation chapter five.

the myriad cockroaches at waffle house make the atmosphere more desirable.

adj: having countless or very many elements or aspects.

Tim and Meredith's myriad relationship is what makes their friendship so fulfilling.

i never tire from studying the the myriad gospel.

Validate

transitive verb
check or prove the validity or accuracy of something; demonstrate or support the truth or value of; make or declare legally valid

Eutychus pointed to the long length of the sermon to validate his deathly fall.
Tim validated falling asleep on the phone on the basis of Meredith's silly, pointless conversation :)
He had the waiter validate his parking ticket with a signature.

I like transitive verbs!

Supercilious

adj: behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.

arrogant, haughty, pompous, condescending

superciliousness: n

superciliously: adv

I repeat: this exclusive blog manifests Tim and Meredith's supercilious side.

Pharisees pray their supercilious prayers, while humble sinners plead for mercy.

Tim superciliously writes brief cryptic pleonast posts.

i wouldn't have posted this word if you defined it properly yesterday.  i thought i knew what it meant too, but i didn't.  now we do :)

Maintain

transitive verb
1: to keep in an existing state (such as repair, efficiency, or validity)
Tim maintained his car by patching the leak in the tire.
2: to sustain against opposition or danger; to uphold and defend
Meredith maintains that she likes nouns used as verbs, but not verbs used as nouns.
3: to continue or persevere in; to carry on or keep up
Paul urges us to maintain our love for Christ.
4: to support or provide for; to sustain
We are maintained by the example of Christ's life.
5: to affirm in, as if in argument; assert
Tim and Meredith both maintain that Simon & Garfunkel make great music.

Lately, I prefer no. 2 & no. 5.

Pertinacious

adj: holding firmly to a opinion or course of action. determined, tenacious, purposeful, stubborn, resolute.

Meredith pertinaciously discredited the Beach Boys, until she listened to "Friends".

Pertinacious Pharaoh would not free God's people.

Tim and Meredith are both very pertinacious :)

Tim and Meredith must be pertinacious in maintaing their spiritual welfare.

Neil Grupp pertinaciously commended Fresca until one day he just stopped completely.

Effigy

noun
a roughly made model of a particular person, made in order to be damaged or destroyed as a protest or expression of anger.
(not to be confused with the word efficacy)

In colonial America, the king was burned in effigy.
The mean boy dressed a doll like his sister, and vaulted the doll off the cliff in effigy.
The girl shredded the love letters in effigy of her past relationship.
(this is a stretch) King David was loved by all because of his ruddy face and bright eyes; he was never burned in effigy.
In the same way, no one would ever want to burn Tim in effigy.

See if you can come up with a better religious sentence. I didn't do so well.

Efficacy

Noun:  the ability to produce a desired or intended result.  This makes sense because it kind of represents "effective".

The efficacy of Christ's blood is undeniable and unequaled.

Vocab Club's efficacy in improving my vocabulary are awesome!

The efficacy of eating popcorn to improve a film is surprising.

efficacious: adj: (typically of something abstract or inanimate) successful in producing desired or intended result: effective.

A righteous man's prayers are efficacious.

My efficacious efforts to convert Meredith into a Beach Boys fan were a worthwhile.

Meredith will need the most efficacious diet pills on the market to take car of the many hot dogs and chocolate chip cookies.

Perfunctory

adjective
(of an action of gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection; careless, negligent.

Paul pushes us to lose our perfunctory nature, and struggle with the weight of Christ.
He gave a perfunctory glance at the child's drawing and walked away.
Tim won't even give Britney Spear's new album a perfunctory listen.

Inspired by Rufus Wainwright's I Don't Know What It Is when he sings, "...want a locket of who / made me lose my perfunctory view..."