Quick answer: Apprehension most commonly means anxiety or fear that something bad will happen — the uneasy feeling before an interview or test. It can also mean arrest by police (“the apprehensi...
Quick Answer: Por que (two words, no accent) is a Spanish construction meaning “for which,” “because of which,” or “for (someone) to…” depending on the sentence. Don’t confuse it with por qué (“...
Quick Answer: Sacrilege is the act of treating something sacred, holy, or deeply respected with serious disrespect — like vandalizing a shrine or desecrating a holy place. It’s also used humorou...
Short answer: Enterprise has three main meanings: a business organization (“a thriving commercial enterprise”), a bold or difficult project (“a costly enterprise”), and bold in...
Quick answer: Dapper means neat, trim, and stylishly dressed in a classic, put-together way — tailored, groomed, polished. Traditionally used for well-dressed men, it’s expanding to anyone in sh...
Quick Answer: Quintessential means the perfect or most typical example of something — the thing that best represents its kind. A quiet village bakery is the quintessential small town; apple pie is the...
Short answer: A paramour is a lover — specifically a secret or illicit one. “The duke and his paramour were spotted together” suggests a forbidden romance. It is a literary, old-fashioned ...
Quick Answer: Precious means deeply valuable, loved, or important — whether financially (precious metals), emotionally (precious memories), or as a term of affection (“my precious”). It carries more h...
Short answer: Elicit means to draw out a response, answer, or reaction from someone — as in “The comedian’s joke elicited huge laughs.” It is a verb, it is pronounced just like illic...
Short answer: Insufferable means so unpleasant, annoying, or arrogant that it cannot be endured. “An insufferable coworker” is one whose behavior drives everyone up the wall. It is a stron...
