“Cerebral” means intellectual, or focused on the activity of the brain. Example: “Leah liked to play outside no matter how bad the weather was, but Morgan preferred the more cerebral exercise of solving puzzles and reading books and essays.”

“Mentor” is a noun meaning counselor or teacher. These days, it’s likely that you’ll also hear this word as a verb. “Mentoring” is something often done in the workplace, when experienced staff help junior employees. Example: “It was my first … Continue reading…

“Acquiesce” is a verb meaning give in, comply, or agree to. Use this word when you want to make clear that this agreement is not necessarily by choice. When you acquiesce to something, you’re saying that you’ll go along with … Continue reading…

“Draconian” means harsh or rigid. Example: “Singapore’s laws may seem draconian, punishing people with jail time for littering or chewing gum, but they certainly keep the streets clean.”

To “augment” means to increase. You can augment the sound coming from a stereo by adding bass and treble boosters. Example: “With the general public’s growing resistance to the war, the only way the ruling party could augment the size … Continue reading…

An “arsenal” is a collection, usually of weapons, but also of anything used as a weapon. Words can be very effective weapons, when used correctly. Example: “The ruins of the castle were overgrown with moss, but we could see where … Continue reading…

“Precision” means “exactness” – being precise, or to the point. Example: “I like wearing my grandfather’s wristwatch, but it can’t match the precision of my digital timer, so that’s what I use for work.”

“Predilection” means liking or having a tendency towards. Example: “Jim frequently invited me to join him at the movies, but as he had a predilection for the more violent action films, I would usually decline.”

“Trepidation” means fear or hesitation, apprehension or concern. Example: “Although John said that Kathy was an excellent cook, I felt a bit of trepidation when I arrived for dinner and saw smoke pouring out of the kitchen.”

“Cognizant” means noticing something, or being aware of something. Example: “I didn’t really pay attention to the ingredient listings on food until I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, but now I’m cognizant of the fact that most packaged food has … Continue reading…