Wrath: A Dictionary for the Enraged Read online

  miasma

  (my-AS-muh)

  NOUN: A toxic atmosphere.

  I am tired of living in this MIASMA day after day; I think it is making me sick.

  miff

  (mif)

  VERB: To irritate or anger somebody.

  minatory

  (MIN-uh-tohr-ee)

  ADJECTIVE: Menacing or ominous.

  misanthrope

  (MISS-un-throhp)

  NOUN: A person who hates all humankind.

  miscreant

  (MISS-cree-uhnt)

  NOUN: A villain or evildoer.

  He showed us what a true MISCREANT he was when he cut the orphans’ portions in half to save money.

  misery

  (MIZ-uh-ree)

  NOUN: Extreme suffering or unhappiness; gloom.

  mortify

  (MOHR-tih-fy)

  VERB: To humiliate or shame a person; embarrass.

  N

  nefarious

  (nih-FAYR-ee-uss)

  ADJECTIVE: Extremely evil; despicable.

  It was unbelievably NEFARIOUS for her to drown the crying infant.

  nemesis

  (NEM-ih-sis)

  NOUN: An enemy or opponent who seeks to exact revenge.

  nettle

  (NET-l)

  VERB: To annoy or irritate; exasperate.

  nocuous

  (NOK-yoo-uhs)

  ADJECTIVE: Liable to cause harm or injury; noxious.

  noisome

  (NOI-suhm)

  ADJECTIVE: Offensive to the senses; harmful.

  notoriety

  (noh-tuh-RY-uh-tee)

  NOUN: Infamy or ill repute; disrepute.

  There is little for the great part of the history of the world except the bitter tears of pity and the hot tears

  of wrath.

  —WOODROW WILSON

  noxious

  (NOK-shuss)

  ADJECTIVE: Toxic or poisonous; harmful.

  nuisance

  (NOO-suhns)

  NOUN: An annoying person or thing; pest.

  O

  obdurate

  (AHB-dur-uht)

  ADJECTIVE: Extremely stubborn or obstinate.

  He wrapped his ankles around the chair and refused to leave, a display of his OBDURATE ways.

  objectionable

  (uhb-JEK-shun-uh-buhl)

  ADJECTIVE: Something that causes offense or opposition; disagreeable.

  objurgate

  (OB-jur-gayt)

  VERB: To strongly berate or reprimand; renounce.

  obloquy

  (OB-luh-kwee)

  NOUN: Abusive statements made against someone; denunciation.

  obstinate

  (OB-stih-nut)

  ADJECTIVE: Unwilling to change an opinion or be swayed; stubborn.

  Before you embark on

  a journey of revenge,

  dig two graves.

  —CONFUCIUS

  obstreperous

  (ob-STREP-er-us)

  ADJECTIVE: Extremely aggressive or hostile; defiant.

  When any of the patients became OBSTREPEROUS, it was necessary for an orderly to restrain them and inject them with a tranquilizer.

  odium

  (OH-dee-uhm)

  NOUN: Intense hatred or revulsion; abhorrence.

  offend

  (uh-FEND)

  VERB: To insult someone or hurt his or her feelings.

  ogre

  (OH-gur)

  NOUN: In a fairytale, an ogre is a man-eating monster; the term can also refer to a particularly unpleasant or wicked person.

  ominous

  (OM-ih-nuss)

  ADJECTIVE: Suggesting possible harm or threat; foreboding.

  opprobrium

  (uh-PRO-bree-um)

  NOUN: The disgrace that results from a disgraceful action.

  After eating the cake off of the floor, Terrence had to deal with the OPPROBRIUM that followed from those that witnessed the act.

  ordnance

  (ORD-nunce)

  NOUN: Weaponry.

  ostracize

  (OSS-truh-syz)

  VERB: To shun or banish someone.

  outburst

  (OUT-burst)

  NOUN: A sudden burst or outbreak of emotion.

  outrage

  (OUT-rayj)

  NOUN: Utter indignation or offense.

  P

  pandemonium

  (pan-duh-MOAN-ee-um)

  NOUN: A state of chaos or bedlam.

  pander

  (PAN-der)

  VERB: To indulge or appeal to one’s worst characteristics or base instincts.

  paroxysm

  (PAYR-uk-siz-um)

  NOUN: A sudden outburst.

  After months of silence, her startling PAROXYSM frightened everyone.

  parricide

  (PAR-uh-syd)

  NOUN: The act of murdering one’s parent or family member.

  peeve

  (peev)

  VERB: To annoy or irritate; as a noun, peeve refers to something that annoys or irritates someone.

  Anger as soon as fed is dead.

  ’Tis starving makes it fat.

  —EMILY DICKINSON

  pejorative

  (puh-JOHR-uh-tiv)

  ADJECTIVE: Critical or derogatory.

  peremptory

  (puh-REMP-tuh-ree)

  ADJECTIVE: Something that is decisive and not open for further discussion; absolute.

  After your unpredictable and violent tantrums, these restraints are PEREMPTORY until you calm down.

  perfidious

  (purr-FID-ee-uhs)

  ADJECTIVE: Deceitful or disloyal; treacherous.

  pernicious

  (purr-NISH-uss)

  ADJECTIVE: Intending to cause harm or injury; destructive.

  pertinacious

  (per-tih-NAY-shuss)

  ADJECTIVE: Annoyingly persistent; unshakable.

  perturbation

  (pur-ter-BEY-shuhn)

  NOUN: A state of annoyance or agitation.

  pest

  (pest)

  NOUN: A person or thing that is annoying; a nuisance.

  pettifog

  (PET-ee-fawg)

  VERB: To argue about trivial matters; squabble.

  petulant

  (PECH-oo-luhnt)

  ADJECTIVE: Sullen, irritable, or bad-tempered.

  The PETULANT girl would sulk in her room for hours and then snap at the first person who greeted her once she emerged.

  pique

  (peek)

  NOUN: A feeling of annoyance or exasperation; as a verb, to pique means to arouse one’s interest or anger.

  plague

  (playg)

  VERB: To torment; pester.

  plaintive

  (PLAYN-tihv)

  ADJECTIVE: Mournful or sad.

  plight

  (plyt)

  NOUN: A dangerous or desperate dilemma or predicament.

  Sylvia felt that her PLIGHT of being unemployed with children to feed and a husband that gambled away all of his income justified his murder.

  polarize

  (PO-luh-rize)

  VERB: To further highlight two opposing sides; to pull apart.

  polemic

  (puh-LEM-ik)

  NOUN: A strong verbal or written attack on an opinion or doctrine.

  procrustean

  (pro-KRUS-tee-un)

  ADJECTIVE: Enforcing conformity by violent means.

  provocateur

  (pro-vock-uh-TURR)

  NOUN: A person who intentionally provokes or stirs up trouble.

  provocation

  (prov-uh-KAY-shuhn)

  NOUN: The act of intentionally provoking or aggravating a person or situation.

  pugilist

  (PYOO-juh-lizt)

  NOUN: A boxer or fighter.

  pugnacious

  (pug-NAY-shuss)

  ADJECTIVE: Inclined to aggression or fighting; confrontational
.

  The PUGNACIOUS wife picked fights with her husband and children, looking for confrontation wherever she could find it.

  punishment

  (PUHN-ish-ment)

  NOUN: To inflict a sentence or penalty as a result of bad behavior.

  putrid

  (PYOO-trid)

  ADJECTIVE: Disgusting or rotten, either physically or morally.

  The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgment is never just.

  —D. H. LAWRENCE

  Q

  quagmire

  (KWAG-myr)

  NOUN: An awkward predicament or entanglement.

  quarrelsome

  (KWAR-uhl-sum)

  ADJECTIVE: Prone to argumentativeness; cantankerous.

  querulous

  (KWER-uh-luss)

  ADJECTIVE: Constantly complaining; grouchy.

  You’ve been so QUERULOUS on this trip; I haven’t heard anything from you except complaints.

  quibble

  (KWIB-uhl)

  VERB: To criticize or complain about trivial things; bicker.

  R

  rage

  (rayj)

  NOUN: A fit or outburst of extreme anger or violence.

  ramification

  (ram-ih-fih-KAY-shun)

  NOUN: The consequence of an action or decision.

  rampage

  (RAM-payg)

  NOUN: An instance of uncontrolled violence.

  rancor

  (RAN-kur)

  NOUN: Bitterness or ill will.

  He had such RANCOR towards his ex-wife that when she brought the children to see him, he said horrible things about her to them.

  rankle

  (RANG-kul)

  VERB: To irritate or annoy; needle.

  rant

  (rant)

  VERB: To shout or complain loudly; as a noun, a rant is the loud speech or complaining that a person does.

  ravage

  (RAV-ij)

  VERB: To devastate or destroy something.

  raze

  (rayz)

  VERB: To demolish or annihilate.

  rebuke

  (rih-BYOOK)

  VERB: To harshly criticize or reprimand.

  Your father thinks it is helpful to REBUKE you for your mistakes instead of offer you constructive criticism.

  recalcitrant

  (ri-KAL-sih-trunt)

  ADJECTIVE: Disobedient toward authority; obstinate.

  Anger is a brief lunacy.

  —HORACE

  relentless

  (ri-LENT-liss)

  ADJECTIVE: Pursuing a person or thing in a persistent, unyielding manner; unrelenting.

  remonstrate

  (rih-MON-strayt)

  VERB: To forcefully protest or argue; oppose.

  repercussion

  (ree-per-KUSH-un)

  NOUN: The consequence or result of an action or decision, sometimes one that is unforeseen or problematic.

  reprehensible

  (rep-ri-HEN-sih-bull)

  ADJECTIVE: Repugnant or detestable.

  reprisal

  (ree-PRAHY-zuhl)

  NOUN: A violent act of vengeance against a previous wrongdoing; retaliation.

  reproach

  (ri-PROACH)

  VERB: To criticize someone for an incorrect or poor decision; admonish.

  reprobate

  (REP-ruh-bayt)

  NOUN: A disreputable person; degenerate.

  Do you think it was a wise idea to make a suspicious deal with such an unreliable REPROBATE?

  repugnant

  (ree-PUHG-nuhnt)

  ADJECTIVE: Revolting or repulsive; offensive.

  repulse

  (ree-PUHLS)

  VERB: To completely offend; disgust.

  requital

  (ri-KWAHYT-l)

  NOUN: Punishment or retaliation for some sort of wrongdoing.

  restitution

  (res-ti-TOO-shun)

  NOUN: Compensation or repayment for a loss or injury; reimbursement.

  restive

  (RES-tihv)

  ADJECTIVE: Impatient or restless.

  retaliate

  (rih-TAL-ee-eyt)

  VERB: To harm someone in an attempt to even the score; to get even.

  It was unnecessary to RETALIATE for your sister’s beating; the police were taking care of it in a legal way.

  retribution

  (re-truh-BYOO-shun)

  NOUN: Vengeance or punishment for a past wrongdoing.

  revenge

  (rih-VENJ)

  NOUN: A punishment given in retaliation for something; vengeance.

  revile

  (rih-VILE)

  VERB: To verbally abuse or attack someone; insult.

  revulsion

  (rih-VUHL-shun)

  NOUN: A feeling of extreme disgust or loathing; repulsion.

  rile

  (rayel)

  VERB: To annoy someone to the point of rage.

  Don’t RILE a person with your usual antics if he has a weapon in his hand.

  rival

  (RY-vuhl)

  NOUN: An adversary or opponent; as a verb, rival means to compete with someone.

  ruckus

  (RUHK-uhs)

  NOUN: An unpleasant commotion; rumpus.

  rue

  (roo)

  VERB: To regret or mourn.

  She would RUE the decision to hire an assassin, but not until she was caught and punished for

  the crime.

  rumpus

  (RUM-puhs)

  NOUN: A loud commotion or disturbance.

  S

  sadistic

  (suh-DISS-tik)

  ADJECTIVE: Finding pleasure in inflicting violence or cruelty upon others; brutal.

  sanguinary

  (SANG-gwuh-nayr-ee)

  ADJECTIVE: Pertaining to death or involving bloodshed.

  sardonic

  (sar-DON-ik)

  ADJECTIVE: Extremely sarcastic or mocking; scornful.

  That response to my emotional and heartfelt confession was SARDONIC and will not be taken seriously.

  saturnine

  (SAT-ur-neen)

  ADJECTIVE: Sluggish or morose.

  savagery

  (SAV-ij-ree)

  NOUN: A state of being barbarous or uncivil; brutality.

  scathing

  (SKAY-thing)

  ADJECTIVE: Extremely critical or contemptuous; derisive.

  schadenfreude

  (SHAH-dun-froy-duh)

  NOUN: Finding pleasure in the misery or misfortune of others.

  He seemed to derive such SCHADENFREUDE from cashing his generous paycheck in front of those begging for food.

  scourge

  (skuhrj)

  NOUN: A source of affliction or devastation; the word also refers to a whip used for punishment.

  scurrilous

  (SKUR-ih-luss)

  ADJECTIVE: Verbally abusive or insulting; slanderous.

  seethe

  (seeth)

  VERB: To remain in a state of unexpressed anger; fume.

  shrew

  (shroo)

  NOUN: A violent or tempestuous woman.