Akimbo

Akimbo

<ah-kym-bo>

Hands on hips; elbows out;

standing with your hands on your hips with your feet spread apart.

She stood akimbo and made an angry face.

Memory trick: 
Imbo reminds of limb.
We put our limbs out.

Used at work:
We knew it was trouble when the auditor stood akimbo.

(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Jentacular

Jentacular

<gen-tak-you-lar>

Eat upon waking; breakfast;

Eating food immediately after awakening.

I took a post-jentacular walk before the sun came up.

Memory trick:
Jentacular sounds like spectacular
A spectacular breakfast

I arrived after a great jentacular.

(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Exfoliate

Exfoliate

<ex-foal-lee-ate>

rub; shed; remove;

Remove something using friction.

I like to exfoliate my skin at night.

Memory trick:
ex reminds of remove
Foliate reminds of foliage
remove foliage

Used at work:
Let’s exfoliate the trim from that sign and we can reuse it.


(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Accoutrements

Accoutrements

<ah-coot-ter-ment>

getup; accessories; trappings;

extra stuff you wear;

A bow tie is the perfect accoutrement for a genius.

Memory trick:
accoutrements reminds of accountant
accountants are known for dressing with intelligent accessories

Used at work:
Accoutrements for the meeting are suits and ties.

(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Abominable

Abominable

<ah-bom-min-ah-bul>

Odious; obnoxious; loathsome;

Anything that is unpleasant or repulsive.

Your shirt is abominable. It stinks.

Memory trick:
Abom reminds of a bom
A bom reminds of stink bomb

Our sales were abominable. Now we are setting sales records.






(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Placebo

Placebo

<pla-see-bow>

Fake; inactive; false drug;

Giving someone a drug that has no effect but telling them it will be effective. A placebo is used to test the effectiveness of a real drug.

I gave you a placebo. It’s harmless.

Memory trick:
Placebo reminds of placid

A sugar pill is an example of a placebo.

(c) 2015 E. Carruthers

Disinterested

Disinterested

<dis-int-ter-rest-ed>

indifferent; unbiased; impartial;

being on no side and having no desire to see an outcome.

I am disinterested in who wins. It makes no difference to me.

Memory trick:
dis reminds of un or not
un interested

Used at work:
I am disinterested in our sales because the product will eventually sell.




(c) 2015 E. Carruthers