Word of the Day – 12/11/14


WORD OF THE DAY


OSTENSIBLE(Adjective)
/ɒˈstɛnsɪb(ə)l/

Meaning:
Seeming or said to be true or real but very possibly not true or real.
Stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.

Usage:
Their ostensible goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was to unseat the government.
His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity.
The ostensible reason for his visit to New York was to see his mother, but the real reason was to get to the Yankees game the next day.

Pronunciationhttp://www.macmillandictionary.com/pronunciation/british/ostensible


IDIOM/PHRASE OF THE DAY


LAUGH UP YOUR SLEEVE

Meaning:
To laugh at someone secretly, often in an unkind way.
To laugh quietly to oneself.

Usage:
Jane looked very serious, but I knew she was laughing up her sleeve.
He persuaded people to believe in him and all the time he was laughing up his sleeve at them.
I told Sally that her dress was darling, but I was laughing up my sleeve because her dress was too small.

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