WORD LIST 149
lilliputian (lil·i·'pyoo·sha ̆n) adj. 1. very small, tiny. 2. trivial or petty. My troubles
are lilliputian compared to hers, and I am thankful that I do not have such major
issues in my life.
loquacious (loh·'kway·shu ̆s) adj. talkative, garrulous. The loquacious woman sitting
next to me on the six-hour flight talked the entire time.
lucid ('loo·sid) adj. 1. very clear, easy to understand, intelligible. 2. sane or
rational. Andrea presented a very lucid argument that proved her point beyond a
shadow of a doubt.
lucrative ('loo·kra ̆·tiv) adj. profitable, producing much money. Teaching is a very
rewarding career, but unfortunately it is not very lucrative.
lugubrious (luu·'oo·bree·u ̆s) adj. excessively dismal or mournful, often exag-
geratedly or ridiculously so. Irina’s lugubrious tears made me believe that her sad-
ness was just a façade.
Mmachination (mak· ̆·'nay·sho ̆n) n. 1. the act of plotting or devising. 2. a crafty
or cunning scheme devised to achieve a sinister end. Macbeth’s machinations
failed to bring him the glory he coveted and brought him only tragedy instead.
maim (maym) v. to wound, cripple, or injure, especially by depriving of the use
of a limb or other part of the body; to mutilate, disfigure, disable. The mining
accident severely maimed Antol.
maladroit (mal·a ̆·'droit) adj. clumsy, bungling, inept. The maladroit waiter broke a
dozen plates and spilled coffee on two customers.
malaise (ma ̆·'layz) n. a feeling of illness or unease. After several tests, Wella finally
learned the cause of her malaise: She was allergic to her new Siamese cat.
malapropism ('mal·a ̆·prop·iz·e ̆m) n. comical misuse of words, especially those
that are similar in sound. His malapropisms may make us laugh, but they won’t win
our vote.
malfeasance (ma ̆l·'fee·za ̆ns) n. misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a pub-
lic official; improper professional conduct. The city comptroller was found guilty
of malfeasance and was removed from office.
malinger (ma ̆·'lin·e ̆r) v. to pretend to be injured or ill in order to avoid work.
Stop malingering and give me a hand with this job.