Adams Media - Greed: A Dictionary for The Selfish

GREED A DICTIONARY FOR THE SELFISH
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An Introduction to Greed greed (greed) NOUN : Excessive desire, especially for wealth or possessions. The seductive lure of avarice has left a bitter taste on the tongues of many: Midas quickly learns to rue his golden touch. King Ahabs love of excess earns him a vineyard, but costs him his beloved Jezebel. And Macbeths lust for power leads him to regicide. The aching desire for more has led to the downfall of many an upright man, but the ways in which this sin reveals itself are abundant. abduct (ab-DUKT) VERB: To take a person away secretly and illegally, often by use of force; to kidnap. abscond (ab-SKOND) VERB: To depart quickly and in secret, especially to avoid criminal charges. abscond (ab-SKOND) VERB: To depart quickly and in secret, especially to avoid criminal charges.

To abscond is to secretly flee the consequences of ones acts, particularly those acts leading to illicit gain. accept (ak-SEPT) VERB: To take into possession. accrete (uh-KREET) VERB: To accumulate or cause to become attached. ache for (AYK fohr) VERB: A strong desire for something or someone. acquire (uh-KWYR) VERB: To obtain something; to come into possession. acquisitive (uh-KWIZ-it-iv) ADJECTIVE: A greedy tendency to acquire money or material things.

The kings ACQUISITIVE nature required rooms upon rooms in the castle to be dedicated to the storage and display of his many treasures. ad infinitum (ad ihn-fi-NY-tuhm) ADJECTIVE: Without end; literally, to infinity. The phrase refers to things without end or to something that is limitless. In practical use, ad infinitum usually carries a sense of ironic overstatement. addiction (uh-DICKT-shunn) NOUN: The state of being psychologically dependent on something or someone. affluenza (a-floo-EN-zuh) NOUN: A word combining affluent and influenza, affluenza has come to stand for a disease that affects wealthy young people who have suddenly come into large sums of money. amass (uh-MASS) VERB: To collect or gather quantities of materials or things over time. amoral (ay-MOR-uhl) ADJECTIVE: Without moral discretion or standards. amoral (ay-MOR-uhl) ADJECTIVE: Without moral discretion or standards.

To be amoral is to act as though the distinctions of right and wrong are nonexistent. A person who is amoral is neither moral nor immoral. annihilate (uh-NY-uh-layt) VERB: To completely destroy. appetence (AP-eh-tents) NOUN: Intense longing or desire; a natural craving. appetency (AP-eh-ten-see) NOUN: Strong, unwavering desire. appetite (ap-eh-TYT) NOUN: The desire to satisfy a bodily need or craving, such as for food. appetite (ap-eh-TYT) NOUN: The desire to satisfy a bodily need or craving, such as for food.

Also, the desire for something non-food-related, such as power or sex. appetition (ap-eh-TISH-in) NOUN: A medical term meaning a desire for, longing for, or seeking after something. appraise (uh-PRAYZ) VERB: To estimate (an items) value. appropriate (uh-PRO-pree-ayt) VERB: To take something without permission; to steal. Earth provides enough to satisfy every mans need, but not every mans greed. aspire (uh-SPYR) VERB: To hope to achieve something; to be eagerly desirous. aspire (uh-SPYR) VERB: To hope to achieve something; to be eagerly desirous.

The ambitious statesman ASPIRES to climb the chain of power, but his motivation is not to better the lives of his constituents; his only focus is personal gain. athirst (uh-THERST) ADJECTIVE: Thirsty or eager for something. attachment (uh-TATCH-ment) NOUN: Affection or regard for someone or something; the feeling that binds the two together. audacious (aw-DAY-shuss) ADJECTIVE: Brazen, daring, or fearless. Audacious refers to bold, unrestrained, uncompromising behavior. augmentation (awg-mehn-TAY-shun) NOUN: The process of increasing in extent, size, or scope. augmentation (awg-mehn-TAY-shun) NOUN: The process of increasing in extent, size, or scope.

The broadening, extension, or increase of something is that things augmentation . auxiliary (awg-ZIL-yuh-ree) NOUN: Backup, reserve, extra. avarice (AV-er-iss) NOUN: Great desire for riches. Avarice is extreme greed. The Pharaohs AVARICE resulted in the constant raids and looting of neighboring kingdoms. avidity (uh-VID-ih-tee) NOUN: Greediness, eagerness. bamboozle (bam-BOO-zuhl) VERB: To deceive; to trick. batten (BAT-un) VERB: To feed greedily or to fatten. begrudge (bee-GRUHJ) VERB: To give or grant reluctantly. begrudgingly (bee-GRUHJ-ing-lee) ADVERB: To do something in a begrudging manner; to give something in a reluctant way. belly-guts (BELL-ee-guhts) NOUN: A slang term for someone who is greedy and lazy. belt (belt) VERB: In addition to being something that needs loosening when one has eaten too much, as a verb belt means to drink quickly or greedily. bequeath (bee-KWEETH) VERB: Bestow by means of a will. bequeath (bee-KWEETH) VERB: Bestow by means of a will.

Bequeath is often used metaphorically to describe something handed down to a group of people from those of a past era. Even though the family members could not stand the sight of each another, they all gathered at their great-uncles manor to see whom he BEQUEATHED his fortune to after his passing. beseech (bih-SEETCH) VERB: To entreat, implore, or request earnestly. Beseech is a formal verb used to request something. In contemporary use, it reflects either great (or even fawning) politeness or urgency of the highest order. bestow (bih-STOW) VERB: To confer or give. bestow (bih-STOW) VERB: To confer or give.

One bestows an award, honor, or degree. The verb is usually followed by on or upon. Who covets more is evermore a slave. R OBERT H ERRICK big eyes (big ayes) NOUN, IDIOM : A greedy or covetous look. bilk (bihlk) VERB: To swindle or cheat. Someone who defrauds a person or institution of funds or goods bilks the victim.

Elizabeths plan to BILK the orphanage of its funds was foiled when the charitys board followed the twisted paper trail she left. binge (bihnj) VERB OR NOUN : As a verb, to indulge in excess, especially in food or alcohol; as a noun, a period of time spent indulging. binger (BIHNJ-er) NOUN: A person who binges. blackmail (BLAK-mayl) VERB: Extortion of payment through threats of revelation. blandish (BLAN-dihsh) VERB: To coax someone to do something for you through the use of flattery. bogart (BO-gahrt) VERB: To selfishly take or keep something, often in reference to a marijuana joint. bolt (bohlt) VERB: To eat extremely quickly. bottomless pit (BAW-tuhm-less piht) NOUN, IDIOM : Insatiable, usually in reference to hunger for food. bribable (BRY-buh-buhl) ADJECTIVE: Easily bribed. bribe (bryb) VERB OR NOUN : As a verb, this means to convince someone to do something or give something in exchange for a gift or money. bribe (bryb) VERB OR NOUN : As a verb, this means to convince someone to do something or give something in exchange for a gift or money.