Connote

Interestingly enough, connote is a word about the meaning of words. To connote is to imply another meaning along with a primary meaning. It is different from denote which indicates a word's exact meaning. For example, the denotation of the word red is the exact definition of the color: "Having, or characterized by, the colour which appears at the lower or least refracted end of the visible spectrum, and is familiar in nature as that of blood, fire, various flowers (as the poppy and rose) and ripe fruits (whence the frequent similes red as blood, fire, a rose, cherry, etc)" (OED, "red") . A connotation of red, however, would be a member of the Communist Party since red connotes a communist because of the Communist Party's adoption of the color red as its party's color. By association or connotation, members of the Party were called "reds."

Bane

Bane is a noun and means something that causes a lot of distress, unhappiness, or annoyance. These days it is usually used in a phrase that includes "of [appropriate possessive subject/prounoun] existence." For example the sentence "Dogs are the bane of Mary's existence" uses this construction. Often the word "bane" sounds archaic or old-fashioned used without the rest of the phrase. For instance, "Dogs are Mary's bane" certainly sounds old-fashioned at best and odd/incorrect at worst, but it is a perfectly fine sentence.

Interestingly bane is a very old word in English and comes from bana which means something that causes death or a poison. This can be heard in the Hallowe'en classic wolf'sbane. To this amateur etymologist, bana sounds like a name for a demon in Dungeon's and Dragons.

Eschew

Eschew is a transitive verb (meaning it needs to act on a direct object to make sense) which means to avoid or to shun. When you eschew something you give it the brush-off. In the following example sentence, Rodney distances him form peanuts: "Since he was allergic to peanuts, Rodney eschewed them with abandon in favor of hazel nuts." Eschew, despite sounding very French in origin, is actually derived from the Middle English eschewen which in turn derived from the Germanic scheuchen. Scheuchen, coincidentally, means shy and is, indeed, a root of our word shy. So someone who is shy pushes something away?

Gelid

Gelid means "cold" or "icy" and derives from the latin gelus for frost or cold. In the following example sentence, both "gelid" and "icy" are used to heighten effect: "The gelid Atlantic doomed the unfortunate passengers of the Titantic to an icy death."

Convivial

An adjective, convivial has three closely-related meanings. It can indicate a friendly or agreeable person or place as in "Kumar was very convivial person" or "Texas is a convivial state." Take care when using convivial, however, as it also means a fondness for partying, feasting, or general merry-making. It also describes such a feast itself. In other words, convivial doesn't just mean friendly but in its fuller sense means socialble in that a person who is convivial is likely to be at a party eating, drinking, and talking or a convivial place is a good location to party hearty. The word derives from the latin convivum (banquet) . Convivum itself derives from the latin verb vivare which means to live.