fathom (FA thim) vt.1. to measure the depth (of water); 2. to understand com-
pletely; comprehend —n.a unit of length equal to 6 feet, primarily used to measure
water depth
- Keep fathomingthe water beneath our keel.
- You must make sure that you completely fathomthe directions before you
proceed. - The fathomwas originally the measure from middle fingertip to middle fin-
gertip of a man with his arms spread wide.
[-ed, -ing]
feasible*(FEE zi bl) adj.1. doable; practicable; 2. reasonable; suitable - It is not always feasibleto change one’s automobile oil at the specified
intervals. - We’ll need a study to decide whether putting a skating rink into West Park
is feasible.
[feasibly adv., feasability n.] [Syn. possible]
felicitous (fel IS it is) adj.1. appropriate; used in a way suitable to the occasion;
- having the knack to pleasingly express
- A tuxedo is a felicitousoutfit to wear to a formal wedding.
- Melissa is careful to be felicitousin all her public doings.
- Ariel writes in a felicitousmanner.
[-ly adv.]
fiction(FIK shin) n.1. something made up or feigned; 2. something imagined;
- a literary story using imaginary characters and/or events
- Rachel’s proclaiming that she was having a heart attack was pure fiction,
meant to attract attention. - The monster that lives in your closet is no fiction!
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollowwas a work of fictionthat came from the pen of
Washington Irving.
figurative (FIG yoer uh TIV) adj.1. representing by likeness, picture, or figure;
- having to do with drawing, painting, etc.; 3. not in the usual or exact sense;
analagous to; metaphoric
- Some artists have figurativetalents, while others do better with landscapes.
- When you say that he’s caused you a million heartaches, we presume that
you mean that in a figurativesense.
[figuratively adv.]
financial(fy NAN shuhl) adj.1. dealing with money resources, income, etc.; 2.
concerning managing money, credit, etc. - A corporation’s chief financialofficer is responsible for overseeing all
income and expenditures. - One unavoidable financialreport that we all must deal with each year is
our income tax return.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. pecuniary, fiscal]
112 Essential Vocabulary