Free The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich Page A

person.
     
     
    Do not confuse elegy with eulogy , which see.
     
     
     
    Related words: elegiac ( EL -i-J I - e k) adjective , elegist (EL-i-jist) noun , elegize (EL-i- J I Z ) verb
     
     
     
    elenchus (i-LENG-k e s) noun, plural elenchi (i-LENG-k I )
     
    a logical argument that refutes another argument by proving the contrary of its conclusion.
     
     
    elixir (i-LIK-s e r) noun
     
    an aromatic remedy believed to cure all ills.
     
     
    emanate (EM- e - NAYT ) verb
     
    issue or originate from a source.
     
     
    Related words: emanative (EM- e -n e - TIV ) and emanatory (EM- e -n e - TOR -ee) both adjectives , emanation ( EM - e -NAY-sh e n) and emanator (EM- e - NAY -t e r) both nouns .
     
     
     
    emasculate (i-MAS-ky e - LAYT ) verb
     
    1. deprive of force, especially said of writing style.
     
    2. castrate; geld.
     
     
    Related words: emasculate (i-MAS-ky e -lit), emasculative (i-MAS-ky e - LAY -tiv), and emasculatory (i-MAS-ky e -l e - TOR -ee) all adjectives ; emasculation (i- MAS -ky e -LAY-sh e n) and emasculator (i-MAS-ky e - LAY -t e r) both nouns .
     
     
     
    embrocation ( EM -broh-KAY-sh e n) noun
     
    a liquid used for rubbing on the body to relieve muscular pain, etc.
     
     
    Related word: embrocate (EM-broh- KAYT ) verb
     
     
     
    emetic ( e -MET-ik) noun
     
    a medicine or other agent used to induce vomiting.
     
     
    Related words: emetic adjective , emetically adverb .
     
     
     
    éminence grise (ay-mee-nah n s GREEZ)
     
    French: in English translated as “gray eminence,” a close adviser, especially one who exercises power behind the scenes.
     
     
    emollient (i-MOL-y e nt) adjective
     
    softening or soothing the skin.
     
     
    Related words: emollience and emollient both nouns .
     
     
     
    emolument (i-MOL-y e -m e nt) noun
     
    a fee received; a salary.
     
     
    empathy (EM-p e -thee) noun
     
    the ability to identify oneself mentally with a person or thing and so understand his feelings or its meaning.
     
     
    Do not confuse empathy with the well-known word sympathy , with several meanings, especially a feeling of pity or tenderness toward one suffering pain, grief, or trouble .
     
     
     
    Related words: empathetic ( EM -p e -THET-ik) and empathic (em-PATH-ik) both adjectives , empathetically and empathically both adverbs , empathize (EM-p e - TH I Z ) verb .
     
     
     
    encomiast (en-KOH-mee- AST ) noun
     
    1. a person who writes or utters an encomium , which see.
     
    2. a eulogist.
     
     
    Related words: encomiastic (en- KOH -mee-AS-tik) adjective , encomiastically adverb .
     
     
     
    encomium (en-KOH-mee- e m) noun, plural encomiums and encomia (en-KOH-mee- e )
     
    high praise given in speech or writing.
     
     
    endemic (en-DEM-ik) adjective , also given as endemical
     
    1. of a disease, commonly found in a particular country or district or group of people.
     
    2. ( noun ) such a disease.
     
     
    Do not confuse endemic with epidemic , which see.
     
     
     
    Related words: endemically adverb , endemism (EN-d e - MIZ - e m) and endemicity ( EN -d e -MIS-i-tee) both nouns .
     
     
     
    energize (EN- e r- J I Z ) verb
     
     
    See enervate .
     
     
     
    enervate (EN- e r- VAYT ) verb
     
    cause to lose vitality.
     
     
    In poor writing and speech, the verb enervate often appears mistakenly in place of energize , a well understood verb that means invigorate or give energy to . Writers and speakers may be misled perhaps by the similarity in spelling, perhaps by the dangerous impulse to choose an uncommon word wherever a common word will do. In this case, such writers substitute an antonym for the correct word, and thus end up saying exactly the opposite of what they want to say. In your own writing, stay away from unfamiliar words unless you first check them in a dictionary. Stressing elegance in word choice can lead you down the garden path.
     
     
     
    Related words: enervation ( EN - e r-VAY-sh e n) and enervator (EN- e r- VAY -t e r) both nouns , enervative