RtR – Big Book dictionary
The following definitions have been adapted for clarity from a 1935 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary
(please email us any other words you would like added)
Forward to the First Edition
Recovered: to regain, to repossess oneself. To come back to consciousness, life, health.
Authentication: the act of establishing the truth or credibility of; to verify the authorship of.
Anonymous: nameless, having no name attached.
Avocation: the condition of being called away, diversion, distraction; a minor employment or vocation.
Omit: to leave out, not to include.
Forward to the First Edition
Precisely: Accurate, exact, strictly observant of rule
Designating: To point out, to specify by a distinctive mark or name, to cause to be known
Denomination: A particular (religious) body or sect
Sect: A body of persons who have separated from a larger body (particularly an established church). The body of adherents to a particular of a particular philosopher or school of thought.
The Doctors Opinion
Hopeless: destitute of hope, despairing, affording no hope, desperate.
Epoch: a fixed point from which succeeding years are numbered, a memorable date, a period characterized by momentous events.
Annals: a narrative of events arranged in years.
Remedy: that which cures a disease; medicine, healing treatment.
Altruistic: the principle or practice of unselfish concern for the
welfare of others.
Befogged: to obscure, to confuse
Addiction: ,to apply habitually, to devote oneself to, to make oneself a slave to a vice
Craving: to ask for earnestly and submissively, to beg, to long for, to require
Phenomenon: that which appears or is perceived by observation or experiment, a remarkable or unusual appearance.
Impunity: exception from punishment, penalty, injury, damage or loss
Spree: a lively frolic especially with drinking
Remorseful: the pain caused by a sense of guilt, bitter repentance, reluctance to commit wrong or act cruelly
Psychic: pertaining to the human soul, spirit or mind
Abstinence: to keep oneself away, to refrain from intoxicating liquors
voluntarily
Precipitates: to throw headlong, to urge on with eager haste or violence
Scoff: an expression of contempt, derision or mockery
Paramount: Supreme, above all others, pre-eminent, superior
Allergy: This word does not feature in a fairly substantial 1930’s dictionary. As is turns out, the notion of an ‘allergy’ would have been pretty radical at the time, as the word only entered the English language in 1906: The concept "allergy" was originally introduced in 1906 by the Viennese pediatrician Clemens von Pirquet, after he noted that some of his patients were hypersensitive to normally innocuous entities such as dust, pollen, or certain foods. Pirquet called this phenomenon "allergy" from the Greek words allos meaning "other" and ergon meaning "work".
Manifestation: To show clearly, to display, to be evidence of, to reveal its presence
Testimony: A solemn declaration or statement, evidence, proof
Rehabilitation: To restore to a former rank, position or office. To reinstate in public esteem or respect. To work over again or re-model.
Succumb: Cease to resist, to submit, to die
Ideal: Standard of perfection
Bill's Story
Ominous: of evil
Remonstrances: a protest
Pending: depending, awaiting settlement
Debauch: to corrupt, to pervert to deprave
Morass: a swamp, a bog
Futility: useless, of no effect, worthless
Essential: necessary to the existence of a thing
Imperative: Expressive of command, authoritative, urgent
There is a Solution
Democracy: The form of government in which the sovereign power is in the hands of the people.
Annihilation: To reduce to nothing. To blot out of existence. To destroy organized existence.
Deportment: Conduct, demeanor, manners and carriage (the way one carries oneself).
Vocation: A divine call to undertake a particular occupation.
Illness: Sickness, depravity, badness.
Specifically: A detailed statement of particulars, esp. work to be undertaken.
Mind: The intellectual powers of man, his understanding. The soul. One’s opinion or disposition.
Humble (humility): To be submissive. Deferential.
Appendix: Spiritual Experience
Manifested: Not concealed, plainly apparent, clear, obvious.
Erroneous: Mistaken, incorrect, straying from the right path.
Revolution: A radical change or reversal of circumstances, conditions or relations. A fundamental change.
Resource: A means of aid, support and safety.
Belligerent: Hostile and inclined to be aggressive.
More about Alcoholism
Demoralization: to subvert and corrupt the morals and principals of
Mental: pertaining to the mind
Concede: To yield, to give up, to surrender.
Incomprehensible: Impossible or very difficult to understand.
Crux: The basic, central, or critical point or feature.
Divine: Emanating from God.
We Agnostics
Agnostic: one who denies that man has any knowledge except of phenomena
Atheist: one who denies the existence of god
Moral: pertaining to character and conduct as regards the distinction between right and wrong
Prejudice: to judge in advance, before a case is fully heard
Prosaic: dull, commonplace
Faith: the assent of the mind to what is stated or put forward by another; firm and earnest belief;conviction, complete reliance, trust
Vicissitude: a change of condition, circumstances
How it Works
Wrest: to twist, turn about with a violent effort, to distort or deflect from its natural meaning
Protestation: a declaration of dissent; a vow a promise
Ideal: a conception of something that is perfect. A highly desirable and possible state of affairs.
Inventory: a detailed list
Restore: to bring back to a former state, to repair
Into Action
Humbled: having or showing a sense of lowliness or inferiority
Omitted: to have let out
Cranny: a crevice, a chink, a corner a hole
Servile: slavish, mean, cringing, menial, dependant
Faculties: a natural power of the mind, capacity for any natural action
Working with Others
Immunity: freedom or exemption from any obligation, duty or office
Protege: under the protection, care or patronage of another
Emphatic: bearing emphasis or special stress
Dictates: to lay down with authority, to give orders
Vicarious: acting on behalf of another: performed, done or suffered on behalf of or for another
To Wives
Dissensions: disagreement of opinion
The Family Afterward
Cessation: the act of ceasing, pause, rest
Reproached: to find fault with something done, to disgrace. An object of scorn.
Apathy: absence of feeling or passion, indifference
Fallacy: an unsound argument, anything that misleads or deceives the mind
To Employers
Dividends: the share of the interest or profit that belongs to each shareholder in the company
Emphatic: bearing emphasis or special force
Attitude: expressing action or passion
A Vision for You
Denizens: a citizen, an inhabitant, a dweller
Substitute: to put in the place of another person or thing
Uncanny: not canny, weird, mysterious
Destiny: the purpose or end to which any thing or person is appointed; invincible necessity the power which presides over the fortunes of men
Trudge: to travel on foot, especially with labour and fatigue. To walk
with purpose and direction