Let's Expand Our Minds

I've decided it is time to expand my mind a little.  There are several words I keep running into in my reading and they are all words that sound good, words I would probably like to be able to toss into conversation at an opportune moment.  However ............ I am unsure of what any of them truly mean.  I intend to remedy that fact ....... today even!

obsequious
loquacious
supercilious
lugubrious
salubrious
capricious
protagonist
pragmatic
ostensibly
surreptitiously

So I think there are seven adjectives, one noun and two adverbs, just judging by the suffix endings.

Next I am going to hazard a guess at the possible meanings - yes a couple of the words I do have an idea, but I need it verified and clarified.

obsequious - boldly or arrogantly?
loquacious - noisily with a lot of words?
supercilious - above and beyond?
lugubrious - long faced?
salubrious - slobbery?
capricious - vicious?
protagonist - the hero of the story?
pragmatic - without concern?
ostensibly - by reason of a double meaning?
surreptitiously - secretly?
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Okay there are my guesses - I will not go back and change them - I promise.  Now to go to the real meanings.

obsequious   – adjective

1. characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: an obsequious bow.

2. servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants.

3. obedient; dutiful.

loquacious – adjective

1. talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous: a loquacious dinner guest.

2. characterized by excessive talk; wordy: easily the most loquacious play of the season.

supercilious - adjective

1. haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.

 

lugubrious - adjective
1. mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner:

salubrious - adjective

1. favorable to or promoting health; healthful

capricious – adjective

1. subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic: He's such a capricious boss I never know how he'll react.

2. Obsolete . fanciful or witty.

protagonist - noun

1. the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.

2. a proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc.

3. the leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.

4. the first actor in ancient Greek drama, who played not only the main role, but also other roles when the main character was offstage.

 
pragmatic - adjective

1. of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations.

2. treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions, and results.

3. of or pertaining to the affairs of state or community.

ostensibly - adverb

1. outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended: an ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.

2. apparent, evident, or conspicuous.

surreptitiously – adverb

1. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: a surreptitious glance.

2. acting in a stealthy way.

3. obtained by subreption; subreptitious.

                                                   ((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))

So looking back, I actually was fairly close on my guesses on a few of these: loquacious, lugubrious, protagonist and surreptitiously.  The others, well...... I probably need to use them a few times in my blog to get them fixed in my mind. Hope you had as much fun learning, as I did looking them up.

 

And that is about all I have to say for today.

 
Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.