Page 313 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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limn (LIM) vt. 1. to paint or draw; 2. to describe (paint a picture) in words
• The expression “I’m limning a picture” is not one you hear every day.
• A good radio sportscaster limns the action of the game so that listeners feel
as if they are there.
[-ed, -ing]
literati (LIT oer AH tee) n. scholarly or learned persons; men or women of
letters
• The literati are likely to have read the works of William Shakespeare.
• As a general rule, engineers learn their craft but are not counted among
the literati.
lithium (LITH ee uhm) n. a grayish white metallic chemical element; the light-
est metallic element
• One of the latest uses of lithium is in power cells for watches and cameras.
• Lithium batteries, which power laptop computers, are quite expensive.
liturgy (LIT oer jee) n. a prescribed ritual for worship in any religious group
• The service in a church, mosque, or synagogue follows a prescribed liturgy.
• Needless to say, the liturgy in every religion is unique to that religion.
lofty (LAWF tee) adj. 1. very high in rank; 2. elevated, like a mountaintop
• The rank of general is a lofty one.
• Wanting to be a doctor or other professional is a lofty aspiration.
• The loftiest peaks in the world are in the Himalayas.
[loftier, loftiest adj., loftily adv.]
loquacity (loh KWA si tee) n. talkativeness, especially excessive talkativeness
• Siamese cats are known for their loquacity, even though what they say is
not said in words.
• A group of hens exhibits loquacity by almost constant clucking.
lucidity (loo SID i tee) n. 1. clarity of mind; 2. the ability to be easily under-
stood; 3. a period of sanity in a mental disorder
• Lucidity should be a requirement for driving a car.
• An author’s lucidity governs the reader’s enjoyment of his or her work.
• Sometimes those in mental institutions experience periods of lucidity.
lustrous (LUS tris) adj. shining brightly; glorious
• Polished silver has a lustrous finish.
• Gold is lustrous even without being polished because, unlike silver, it
doesn’t oxidize.
[-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. bright]