intimate
[ˈin(t)əˌmāt]
VERB intimated (past tense) · intimated (past participle)
imply or hint. "he had already intimated that he might not be able to continue"
state or make known. "Mr. Hutchison has intimated his decision to retire"
I love this word. Please note that it is spelled like the adjective "intimate" which means closely acquainted; familiar; close. However, this is the VERB. And it is pronounced differently.
This is a VERY uncommon word, which means that, should you employ it as a tool in your vocabulary bag of tricks, you will immediately be set apart. And that's all we logophiles want. Using this word is actually very easy because it is a beautiful word that can be substituted for common words like "imply", "hint", or "indicate".
"He intimated that he didn't want to attend the party."
"Are you intimating that you do not want to go out?"
See how it works? So easy, and such a wonderful word to add to your word quiver!
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