A Fistful of Words
To impugn someone is to verbally attack his or her
character. This aggressive word comes from the
Latin pugnare (“to fight”) and pugnus (“fist”).
A boxer is a pugilist whose attitude may be
pugnacious—spoiling for a fight. If something
offends you, call it repugnant, a word that once
meant “hostile.”
- jejune (b) immature.
My childhood diaries
seem so jejune to me
now! - doubloon (c) gold
coin. As the ship’s
first mate, I earn two
doubloons a week. - importune (c) urge.
The home crowd has
been known to impor-
tune the referees to
reverse a questionable
call. - dragoon (b) soldier
on horseback. The
dragoons charged
toward the enemy
palace. - festoon (a) decorate.
Aunt Morticia’s creepy
attic is festooned with
spiderwebs.
Vocabulary Ratings
9 & below: no buffoon
10–12: word tycoon
13–15: over the moon- picayune (a) trivial.
I can’t be bothered with
your picayune facts! - boon (b) blessing.
“The new bridge will be
a boon for drivers, short-
ening their commutes
at rush hour,” the mayor
promised. - clair de lune (a) blue
porcelain glaze. “I can’t
believe you got this
antique clair de lune
vase for only a dollar!” - saskatoon (c) June-
berry shrub. When the
saskatoons bloom, it’s
a sure sign that spring
has arrived. - tribune (a) Roman
official. If you plebeians
have a complaint, take
it directly to your tribune. - harpoon (b) barbed
spear. The whaling
museum’s permanent
collection includes
harpoons from the 1700s.- opportune (c) timely.
My ex-wife couldn’t
have arrived at a less
opportune moment. - galloon (b) lace trim.
Margaret’s wedding
gown has hand-stitched
galloon on the bodice
and pearl buttons on the
back. - rune (c) mystical
writing. The stone tablet
is inscribed with an
ancient Icelandic rune. - maroon (b) leave
stranded. Isn’t he that
scientist who was
marooned on Mars for
a year?
Word Power
ANSWERS
126 june 2019
Reader’s Digest
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