Obsequiously complying with the spirit of the times, or the humors of those in power.
Word of the Day: Catachrestical
An obsequious compliance with the spirit of the times, or the humors of those in power, which implies a surrender of one's independence, and sometimes of one's integrity.
Tergiversation Roget’s Thesaurus §607
N. change of mind, change of intention, change of purpose, afterthought, tergiversation, recantation, palinode, palinody, renunciation, abjuration, abjurement, defection, going over, apostasy, retraction, retractation, withdrawal, disavowal, revocation, revokement, reversal, repentance - redintegratio amoris, coquetry, vacillation, backsliding, volte-face, turn coat, turn tippet|, rat, apostate, renegade, convert, pervert, proselyte, deserter, backslider, blackleg, crawfish, scab*, mugwump, recidivist, time server, time pleaser, timist|, vicar of bray, trimmer, ambidexter, weathercock, janus
V. change one's mind, change one's intention, change one's purpose, change one's note, abjure, renounce, withdraw from, waver, vacillate, wheel round, turn round, veer round, turn a pirouette, go over from one side to another, pass from one side to another, change from one side to another, skip from one side to another, go to the rightabout, box the compass, shift one's ground, go upon another tack, apostatize, change sides, go over, rat, recant, retract, revoke, rescind, recall, forswear, unsay, come over, come round to an opinion, crawfish *, crawl*, draw in one's horns, eat one's words, eat the leek, swallow the leek, swerve, flinch, back out of, retrace one's steps, think better of it, come back return to one's first love, turn over a new leaf, trim, shuffle, play fast and loose, blow hot and cold, coquet, be on the fence, straddle, bold with the hare but run with the hounds, nager entre deux eaux, wait to see how the cat jumps, wait to see how the wind blows
Adj. changeful, irresolute, ductile, slippery as an eel, trimming, ambidextrous, timeserving, coquetting, revocatory, reactionary
Phr. "a change came o'er the spirit of my dream"
Cunning Roget’s Thesaurus §702
N. cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, ulysses, machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, scotchman, jew, yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, indian giver, keener, repeater
V. be cunning, have cut one's eyeteeth, contrive, live by one's wits, maneuver, intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter, circumvent, steal a march upon, overreach, throw off one's guard, surprise, snatch a verdict, waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge, play a deep game, play tricks with, ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces, flatter, make things pleasant, have an ax to grind, dodge, sidestep, bob and weave
Adj. cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle|, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite
Phr. diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, "something is rotten in the state of denmark"
Servility Roget’s Thesaurus §886
N. servility, slavery, obsequiousness, subserviency, abasement, prostration, prosternation|, genuflection, fawning, tuft- hunting, timeserving, flunkeyism, sycophancy, humility, sycophant, parasite, toad, toady, toad-eater, tufthunter, snob, flunky, flunkey, yes-man, lapdog, spaniel, lickspittle, smell-feast, graeculus esuriens, hanger on, cavaliere servente, led captain, carpet knight, timeserver, fortune hunter, vicar of bray, sir-pertinax, max sycophant, pickthank, flatterer, doer of dirty work, ame damnee, tool, reptile, slave, courtier, beat*, dead beat*, doughface *, heeler, homme de cour, sponger, sucker*, tagtail, truckler
V. cringe, bow, stoop, kneel, bend the knee, fall on one's knees, prostrate oneself, worship, sneak, crawl, crouch, cower, sponge, truckle to, grovel, fawn, lick the feet of, kiss the hem of one's garment, kiss one's ass, suck up, pay court to, feed on, fatten on, dance attendance on, pin oneself upon, hang on the sleeve of, avaler les couleuvres, keep time to, fetch and carry, do the dirty work of, go with the stream, worship the rising sun, hold with the hare and run with the hounds
Adj. servile, obsequious, supple, supple as a glove, soapy, oily, pliant, cringing, abased, dough-faced, fawning, slavish, groveling, sniveling, mealy-mouthed, beggarly, sycophantic, parasitical, abject, prostrate, down on ones marrowbones, base, mean, sneaking, crouching
Adv. hat in hand, cap in hand
Improbity Roget’s Thesaurus §940
N. improbity, dishonesty, dishonor, deviation from rectitude, disgrace, fraud, lying, bad faith, punic faith, mala fides, punica fides, infidelity, faithlessness, judas kiss, betrayal, breach of promise, breach of trust, breach of faith, prodition|, disloyalty, treason, high treason, apostasy, nonobservance, shabbiness, villainy, villany, baseness, abjection, debasement, turpitude, moral turpitude, laxity, trimming, shuffling, perfidy, perfidiousness, treachery, double dealing, unfairness, knavery, roguery, rascality, foul play, jobbing, jobbery, graft, bribery, venality, nepotism, corruption, job, shuffle, fishy transaction, barratry, sharp practice, heads i win tails you lose, mouth honor
V. be dishonest, play false, break one's word, break one's faith, break one's promise, jilt, betray, forswear, shuffle, live by one's wits, sail near the wind, disgrace oneself, dishonor oneself, demean oneself, derogate, stoop, grovel, sneak, lose caste, sell oneself, go over to the enemy, seal one's infamy
Adj. dishonest, dishonorable, unconscientious, unscrupulous, fraudulent, knavish, disgraceful, wicked, false-hearted, disingenuous, unfair, one-sided, double, double- hearted, double-tongued, double-faced, timeserving, crooked, tortuous, insidious, machiavelian, dark, slippery, fishy, perfidious, treacherous, perjured, infamous, arrant, foul, base, vile, ignominious, blackguard, contemptible, unrespectable, abject, mean, shabby, little, paltry, dirty, scurvy, scabby, sneaking, groveling, scrubby, rascally, pettifogging, beneath one, low-minded, low-thoughted, base-minded, undignified, indign|, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unbefitting, derogatory, degrading, infra dignitatem, ungentlemanly, ungentlemanlike, unknightly, unchivalric, unmanly, unhandsome, recreant, inglorious, corrupt, venal, debased, mongrel, faithless, of bad faith, false, unfaithful, disloyal, untrustworthy, trustless, trothless, lost to shame, dead to honor, barratrous
Adv. dishonestly, mala fide, like a thief in the night, by crooked paths
Phr. corruptissima respublica plurimae leges
Int. o tempora, o mores, [Cicero]
Selfishness Roget’s Thesaurus §943
N. selfishness, self-love, self- indulgence, self-worship, self-interest, egotism, egoism, amour propre, &c. (vanity) 880, nepotism, worldliness, world wisdom, illiberality, meanness, time-pleaser, time-server, tuft-hunter, fortune-hunter, jobber, worldling, egotist, egoist, monopolist, nepotist, dog in the manger, charity that begins at home, canis in praesepi, "foes to nobleness," temporizer, trimmer
V. be selfish, please oneself, indulge oneself, coddle oneself, consult one's own wishes, consult one's own pleasure, look after one's own interest, feather one's nest, take care of number one, have an eye to the main chance, know on which side one's bread is buttered, give an inch and take an ell
Adj. selfish, self-seeking, self-indulgent, self-interested, self- centered, wrapped up in self, wrapt up in self, centered in self, egotistic, egotistical, egoistical, illiberal, mean, ungenerous, narrow-minded, mercenary, venal, covetous, unspiritual, earthly, earthly-minded, mundane, worldly, worldly- minded, worldly-wise, timeserving, interested, alieni appetens sui profusus
Adv. ungenerously, to gain some private ends, from interested motives
Phr. apres nous le deluge
No Bible verses found for "timeserving".
