21-12-2010

pablum: \ PAB-luhm \

temporize: \ TEM-puh-ryz \

eructation: \ ih-ruhk-TAY-shuhn \

didactic: \ dy-DAK-tik; duh- \

fealty: \ FEE-uhl-tee \

masticate: \ MAS-tih-kayt \

inveterate: \ in-VET-uhr-it \

languor: \ LANG-guhr; LANG-uhr \

sachet: \ sa-SHEY \

salient: \ SAY-lee-unt; SAYL-yunt \.

pablum: \ PAB-luhm \ something (as writing or speech) that is trite, insipid, or simplistic. These,
apparently, are the true bait-and-switchers of the title, selling vocational succor but offering gibberish
and pablum .

temporize: \ TEM-puh-ryz \ to be indecisive or evasive in order to gain time; also, to go with the
times. But when it comes to paying out claims, too many third-party providers stall, balk and
temporize .

eructation: \ ih-ruhk-TAY-shuhn \ the act of belching; a belch. The explosion, at this distance,
sounds like a faint, feeble eructation .

didactic: \ dy-DAK-tik; duh- \ conveying instruction; teaching some moral lesson. The show trial
may be defined as a public theatrical performance in the form of a trial, didactic  in purpose, intended
not to establish the guilt of the accused but rather to demonstrate the heinousness of the person's
crimes.

fealty: \ FEE-uhl-tee \ fidelity; allegiance; faithfulness. Barbour believed Christian conservatives

represented a critical constituency, and he looked for opportunities to display his fealty  to them.

masticate: \ MAS-tih-kayt \ to chew. Honestly, folks, the people at the next table ordered the same
dish, and I watched as a young couple tried in vain to masticate  those fossilized pieces of "toast."

inveterate: \ in-VET-uhr-it \ deep-rooted; of long standing. In Montpelier, where this prison stands,
the inveterate  prejudice against prisoners has been swept away.

languor: \ LANG-guhr; LANG-uhr \ lack of energy or vitality. Without health life is not life, wrote
Rabelais, "life is not livable. . . . Without health life is nothing but languor ."

sachet: \ sa-SHEY \ a small bag containing perfuming powder, to impart a pleasant scent. Select a
filler of snowflake geranium, polyester fill, or rabbit tobacco –– enough to make the sachet  fluffy.

salient: \ SAY-lee-unt; SAYL-yunt \ noticeable; also, projecting; also, leaping. The strength of the
hypothesis is that it simultaneously explains all these salient  features, none of which had satisfactory
independent explanations.