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gemütlich guh-MYOOT-lik adjective pleasant; easy going 1929Sinclair LewisDodsworthOur European women are very gemutlich, they are easy to be with, they wait on us…1934S. S. Van DineThe Casino Murder Case'Quayle, d' ye see, was a classmate of Bloodgood's. Two aspirin' young chemists. Very good friends. Everything gemütlich.'1988Ed McBainThe House That Jack BuiltNever beautiful, but perhaps pretty in a gemutlich sort of way.1994Caleb CarrThe AlienistPapa Brübacher, a truly gemütlich restaurateur who was always glad to see a regular customer…Labels: Caleb Carr, Ed McBain, S. S. Van Dine, Sinclair Lewis
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technocracy tek-NAW-kruh-see noun a government by technical experts and scientists 1935Sinclair Lewis It Can'T Happen Here...the 'Share the Wealth' and 'Every Man a King' proposals of the late Hon. Huey Long to assure every family $5000 a year, the Townsend plan, the Utopian plan, Technocracy, and all competent schemes of unemployment insurance…1970Alvin TofflerFuture ShockJust as, in the main, their alternatives to industrialism call for a return to pre-industrial institutions, their alternative to technocracy is not post- but pre-technocracy.1982Steven M. KrauzerRenegade Agent...the world was becoming a technocracy, a society managed by the technical experts.Labels: Alvin Toffler, Sinclair Lewis, Steven M. Krauzer
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ratiocinate ra-shee-AW-sen-ayt verb to reason through something methodically; to think methodically 1858Edward Bulwer-LyttonWhat Will He Do With ItThe Cobbler put the forefinger of the right hand on the forefinger of the left; it is the gesture of a man about to ratiocinate or demonstrate, as Quintilian, in his remarks on the oratory of fingers, probably observes; or if he has failed to do so, it is a blot in his essay.1886Hiram CorsonAn Introduction to the Study of Browning's PoetrySome speaker is made to reveal his character, and, sometimes, by reflection, or directly, the character of some one else—to set forth some subtle and complex soul-mood, some supreme, all-determining movement or experience of a life; or, it may be, to ratiocinate subtly on some curious question of theology, morals, philosophy, or art.1925Sinclair LewisMartin ArrowsmithWell, Leory, I suppose you and Martykins here have now ratiocinated all these questions of polo and, uh, Monte Carlo and so on.Labels: Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Hiram Corson, Sinclair Lewis
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orotund OR-uh-tuhnd adjective pompous; sonorous 1927Sinclair LewisElmer GantryBut he had learned his role of dignity now, and though he observed, 'Dandy day, Shorty!' he was quick to follow it up unhesitatingly with an orotund, 'I trust that you have been able to enjoy the beauty of the vernal foliage in the country this week.'1989Gore VidalHollywood'Will we hear your magnificent voice this evening, Senator?' Hitchcock was orotund.1996Laurence JamesKeeper of the Sun'I think that Master Cawdor is probably correct in this,' Doc said in his best orotund voice.Labels: Gore Vidal, Laurence James, Sinclair Lewis
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caterwaul KA-tur-wawl verb screeching; a horrible sound; a boisterous argument 1927Sinclair LewisElmer Gantry...I certainly did refuse to listen to the caterwauling of a lot of hired agitators from the so-called unions…1989Stephen KingThe Langoliers...that blind little brat had begun to caterwaul.1997Dean KoontzFear NothingAn inhuman cry issued from him, primitive and psychotic, a caterwaul of the sort that sometimes wakes You in the night and leaves You wondering about the species of origin.Labels: Dean Koontz, Sinclair Lewis, Stephen King
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sub rosa suhb RO-zuh adverb in confidence; secretly; covertly 1927Sinclair LewisElmer GantryWhatever worldly expressions he might use in sub rosa conversations with the less sanctified theological students…1962Alistair MacLeanSatan BugYou will remember that there was nothing sub rosa about Gregori's arrival in this country…2000Robert Ludlum and Galye LyndsThe Hades FactorFrom the great shuttered embassy, they handled passport questions, reported on local media, and occasionally passed sub-rosa messages between Washington and Baghdad.Labels: Alistair MacLean, Galye Lynds, Robert Ludlum, Sinclair Lewis
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