- Mai Duc Nguyen
New English Words of the Month – February 2019

1. (n) tenure: the period of time during which someone is elected as a government official or holds an important job
Example: A CEO’s tenure only does not help us measure if he has done a good job managing the company.
2. (v) trample: to put your feet down on something or someone so heavily that leads to damage
Example: The criminal’s freedom is an act of trampling on justice.
3. (n) fiat: an order made by a government body or other groups in authority
Example: The government’s recent fiat was strongly opposed by fishing villages, because they feared that it would lead to lower fishing output.
4. (v) bluster: to speak in an angry or threatening manner
Example: When a child blusters, his parents first need to understand the reasons behind this behavior.
5. (v) cede: to allow someone to take something away from you, such as your power or protected land
Example: The workers agreed to cede several rights in the employment contract in return for a higher level of wage.
6. (n) dissent: strong disagreement between what one party thinks and the other thinks
Example: The city residents’ dissent was sparked by the failure of their city council to reduce crime.
7. (adj) culpable: to be responsible for something undesirable or illegal
Example: The naughty kids were culpable for breaking Mr. Johnson’s glass windows.
8. (adj) reticent: to be unwilling to talk or share something
Example: The man was reticent to share why he decided to divorce.
9. (adj) murky: to be dark and difficult to see through
Example: The murky nature of this area’s environment creates a fear among many drivers.
10. (v) wallow: to spend a lot of time doing something or being immersed in an emotion
Example: The girl wallowed in sorrow after the breakup with her boyfriend.
What new words have you learned in February 2019? Please share them with others by leaving a comment.