Tennewwords - Week 4

1. plague

plague\ˈplāg\
noun
1 a : a disastrous evil or affliction : calamity
b : a destructively numerous influx
2 a : an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality : pestilence
b : a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) and that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms —called also black death
3 a : a cause of irritation : nuisance
b : a sudden unwelcome outbreak



2. belligerent

bel·lig·er·ent\bə-ˈlij-rənt, -ˈli-jə-\
adjective
1 : waging war; specifically : belonging to or recognized as a state at war and protected by and subject to the laws of war
2 : inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness



3. veneer

ve·neer\və-ˈnir\
noun
1 : a thin sheet of a material: as
a : a layer of wood of superior value or excellent grain to be glued to an inferior wood
b : any of the thin layers bonded together to form plywood
c : a plastic or porcelain coating bonded to the surface of a cosmetically imperfect tooth
2 : a protective or ornamental facing (as of brick or stone)
3 : a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, display, or effect : facade, gloss



4. leonine

le·o·nine\ˈlē-ə-ˌnīn\
adjective
: of, relating to, suggestive of, or resembling a lion



5. antecedent

an·te·ced·ent\ˌan-tə-ˈsē-dənt\
noun
1 : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (as John in “Mary saw John and called to him”); broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute
2 : the conditional element in a proposition (as if A in “if A, then B”)
3 : the first term of a mathematical ratio
4 a : a preceding event, condition, or cause
b plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life
5 a : predecessor; especially : a model or stimulus for later developments
b plural : ancestors, parents



6. phellem

phel·lem\ˈfe-ˌlem\
noun
: a layer of usually suberized cells produced outwardly by a phellogen



7. demure
de·mure\di-ˈmyu̇r\
adjective
1 : reserved, modest
2 : affectedly modest, reserved, or serious : coy



8. hypodermic
hy·po·der·mic\-mik\
adjective
1 : adapted for use in or administered by injection beneath the skin
2 : of or relating to the parts beneath the skin
3 : resembling a hypodermic injection in effect : stimulating



9. tenure

ten·ure\ˈten-yər also -ˌyu̇r\
noun
1 : the act, right, manner, or term of holding something (as a landed property, a position, or an office); especially : a status granted after a trial period to a teacher that gives protection from summary dismissal
2 : grasp, hold



10. chunter

chun·ter\ˈchən-tər\
intransitive verb British
: to talk in a low inarticulate way : mutter