Vocabulary from Economic Times: 23 July 2017

1. Hegemony: नायकत्व

leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others
Example: The political hegemony of the BJP seems near complete with the president.

2. Titular: नाम का

Holding or constituting a purely formal position or title without any real authority; nominal, official
Example: England has a Queen, but today her position is completely titular and she has no authority in the government whatsoever.

3. Credence: विश्वास

Belief in or acceptance of something as true; belief, Faith, Affiance, assurance, sureness
Example: As no one has been able to disprove the scientist’s theory, it has gained more credence over the years.

4. Postulate: दावा करना

Lay claim to, contend
Example: Back in the 1960s, he postulated that India’s party system was effectively a Congress system in which the party had a hegemony over India by virtue of being the inheritor of the national movement.

5. Psephologist: चुनाव विश्लेषक

A sociologist who studies election trends
Example: Early psephologists in the 1980s coined the term Index of Opposition Unity (IOU) postulating that the Congress dominance was inversely proportional to it.

6. Disenchantment: मोहभंग

A feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment, discontent, dissatisfaction
Example: The bar is filled with disenchanted men who have lost fortunes in the stock market crash.

7. Fanciful: काल्पनिक

Imaginary, fictitious, dreamy, notional, speculative
Example: Despite new fanciful alliterations, the proverbial roti, kapda aur makaan and bijli, sadak aur paani remain the principal phrases that motivate voters, especially when reiterating their previous choice.

8. Euphoric: जश्न

Characterized by or feeling intense excitement and happiness; happy, joyful, delighted, gleeful
Example: BJP did not repeat the euphoric performance of 2014.

9. Weathervane: वायु दिशा दर्शक यंत्र

A revolving pointer to show the direction of the wind, typically mounted on top of a building
Example: State polls are no weathervane.

10. Slump: गिर पड़ना

Sit, lean, or fall heavily and limply; topple, fall down, fall in, flop,
Example: In two years, the Congress slumped to its worst performance.

11. Enthuse: अति उत्साहित करना

Express eager enjoyment, interest, or approval regarding something; ravish, gush, rave
Example: Unmistakably, victories in successive state elections enthuse party workers but do not immunise a party from parliamentary defeats.

12. Anti-incumbent: विरोधी अवलंबी

An anti-incumbent vote is one exercised against elected officials currently in power. It allows the voters to register their discontent with sitting government officials, particularly when protesting against certain actions taken by the government or the elected officials in question.
Example: Additionally, in place of anti-incumbency against UPA, disarray in opposition ranks will benefit the BJP.

13. Sully: मैला करना

Clog, dirty, begrime, smirch, besmirch
Example: This socio-political “progress”, if one can call it so, has occasionally sullied Modi’s image.

14. Elation: उत्साह

Enthusiasm, zeal, prompting, euphoria, rapture
Example: After graduation, there was a feeling of elation amongst all the graduates.

15. Bulwark: बांध

A defensive wall; dam, dyke, breakwater, embankment, weir
Example: Vaccines act as a bulwark against many childhood diseases.

16. Frontage: मुखभाग

The front part of a building that faces a road or river, or land near a road or river
Example: The Modi-Shah duo are a team only in implementation and the frontage is singularly Modi’s.

17. Sans: बिना

Without
Example: For Project Modi to run its course sans hiccups and get an extension, it will have to focus on areas where people expect actual deliverance.

18. Hiccup: हिचकी

An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, with a sudden closure of the glottis and a characteristic gulping sound; hiccough
Example: What should I do to stop hiccups?

19. Narrative: कहानी

Story, tale, fairytale, novel, novelette
Example: The narrative is clear: the BJP is rising steadily and the Congress is slipping.

20. Debris: मलबा

Rubbish, refuse
Example: A new “BJP system” has emerged from the debris of the Congress system.