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मुख्य The Vocabulary Builder Workbook: Simple Lessons and Activities to Teach Yourself Over 1,400 Must-Know..
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Copyright © 2018 by Chris Lele No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Zephyros Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. 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CONTENTS (n.) kənˈtents Introduction How to Use This Book For Parents and Teachers Pronunciation Guide 200 LESSONS 1 Prefix: Pre- (Part 1) 2 Prefix: Pre- (Part 2) 3 Eponymous Parts of Speech from Antiquity (Part 1) 4 Eponymous Parts of Speech from Antiquity (Part 2) 5 Words from French (Part 1) 6 Words from French (Part 2) 7 Words from French (Part 3) 8 Compound Words and Phrases from French 9 Words from German 10 Words with an Italian Origin (Part 1) 11 Words with an Italian Origin (Part 2) 12 Words from India 13 Traveling Words 14 Misleading Words (Part 1) 15 Misleading Words (Part 2) 16 Quiet to Noisy 17 Only Fools Rush In 18 Speaking Words 19 Just How Much? (Part 1) 20 Just How Much? (Part 2) 21 In My Opinion 22 How Big Is Your Appetite? 23 A Question of Trust 24 Is That a Compliment? (Part 1) 25 Is That a Compliment? (Part 2) 26 From Lazy to Lively 27 Hard at Work? 28 Words About Words (Part 1) 29 Words About Words (Part 2) 30 Where Did You Go to School? 31 Mind Your Manners 32 Is It Clear? 33 Words Describing Character 34 Musical Words 35 Animal Words 36 Words Describing Animals 37 Religious Words (Part 1) 38 Religious Words (Part 2) 39 Prefix Ex- 40 Commonly Confused Pairs (Part 1) 41 Commonly Confused Pairs (Part 2) 42 Commonly Confused Pairs (Part 3) 43 Annoying Words 44 What Did You Call Me? 45 Courtroom Words 46 Give Peace a Chance 47 Frightening Words 48 Group Dynamics 49 Governmental Words 50 Words of Scale 51 How's It Going? 52 Attention to Detail 53 The Facts of Life 54 It's Debatable 55 It's a Party! 56 Describing the Landscape 57 It's About Time (Part 1) 58 It's About Time (Part 2) 59 The Times They Are A-Changing 60 Secondary Meanings (Part 1) 61 Secondary Meanings (Part 2) 62 Secondary Meanings (Part 3) 63 Secondary Meanings (Part 4) 64 How Are You Feeling? 65 Time Periods 66 Flavor 67 Fun 68 False Friends (Part 1) 69 False Friends (Part 2) 70 Color Words 71 Colorful Words 72 Spending Words 73 Let's Party 74 Words from the Body 75 Words from Myth 76 Heavenly Words 77 Two-Faced Words 78 A Matter of Trust 79 How Much Do You Know? 80 Money, Money, Money 81 Political Words (Part 1) 82 Political Words (Part 2) 83 It's a Rebellion! 84 Biblical Words 85 What's the Big Joke? 86 It's No Laughing Matter 87 Recognition 88 Make Up Your Mind 89 Something Wicked This Way Comes 90 Are You the Boss or the Bossed? 91 Commonly Confused Words 92 Words from Yiddish 93 Words from Other Languages 94 Order and Leveling 95 Words from Science 96 Is It Everywhere or Anywhere? 97 Thou Doth Complain Too Much 98 Nothing Is Going to Stop Us Now . . . or Is It? 99 Spoils of War 100 Are You Likeable? 101 Hurtful Words 102 How Pure? 103 How Do I Express Myself? 104 Getting Better or Getting Worse? 105 It's All About the Self 106 Three-Letter Words 107 Four-Letter Words 108 Very Long Words 109 Can You Feel It? 110 What's All the Fuss? 111 What's the Bright Idea? (Part 1) 112 What's the Bright Idea? (Part 2) 113 Get Off the Couch! 114 Is This Confusing? 115 Anyone's Guess 116 Harmful or Harmless? 117 The Anger Meter 118 From Cowardly to Courageous 119 I Have an Official Announcement to Make 120 Hold On to Your Wits! From Dull to Sharp 121 Prefix: Ben- 122 Prefix: Mal- 123 Prefix: Phon- 124 Prefix: Eu- 125 Prefix: Anthro- 126 Prefix: Circum- 127 Suffix: -Cracy 128 Prefix: Di- 129 Prefix: Dia- 130 Prefix: Epi- 131 Prefix: Ex- (Part 1) 132 Prefix: Ex- (Part 2) 133 Prefix: Ex- (Part 3) 134 Prefix: Im- (Part 1) 135 Prefix: Im- (Part 2) 136 Prefix: In- (Part 1) 137 Prefix: In- (Part 2) 138 Prefix: In- (Part 3) 139 Prefix: In- (Part 4) 140 Prefix: In- (Part 5) 141 Prefix: Inter- (Part 1) 142 Prefix: Inter- (Part 2) 143 Prefix: Sub- 144 Root: -Pathy 145 Root: Fract-, Frag- 146 Prefix: Bell- 147 Prefix: Carn- 148 Prefix: Cogn- 149 Root: Min- 150 Prefix: Apo- 151 Root: -Mit 152 Prefix: Pan- 153 Prefix: Para- 154 Prefix: Peri- 155 Root: -Scribe, -Script 156 Prefix: Trans- 157 Prefix: Pro- 158 Root: Punct- 159 Root: Put- 160 Root: Quisit- 161 Root: Rog- 162 Root: Sequ- 163 Root: Ec- 164 Prefix: A- (Part 1) 165 Prefix: A- (Part 2) 166 Root: Cit- 167 Prefix: Con- (Part 1) 168 Prefix: Con- (Part 2) 169 Prefix: De- 170 Prefix: En- (Part 1) 171 Prefix En- (Part 2) 172 Root: E- 173 Root: Fact- 174 Root: Fic- 175 Root: Gen- 176 Suffix: -Gress 177 Root: -Graph 178 Root: Ig- 179 Root: Pend- 180 Root: Reg- 181 Words Beginning with A 182 Words Beginning with B 183 Words Beginning with C 184 Words Beginning with D 185 Words Beginning with E 186 Words Beginning with F 187 Words Beginning with G 188 Words Beginning with H 189 Words Beginning with I 190 Words Beginning with L 191 Words Beginning with M 192 Words Beginning with N 193 Words Beginning with O 194 Words Beginning with P 195 Words Beginning with Q 196 Words Beginning with R 197 Words Beginning with S 198 Words Beginning with T 199 Words Beginning with U 200 Words Beginning with V Further Resources Answer Key INTRODUCTION People tend to assume I've always excelled at words. I'm a decent Scrabble player, include SAT words in conversation without realizing it, and do anagrams in my head for fun. Now that I'm a "vocabulary expert" at Magoosh, my innate verbal ability seems like a foregone conclusion. But it wasn't always this way. When I was in middle school, I remember having to study for vocabulary quizzes and dreading the experience. To make matters worse, my father would get excited every time he saw me with the vocabulary book open. "Ask me any word," he'd exclaim. No matter how many syllables the word contained, he'd toss off definitions with aplomb, pressing me for another, the way a small child might ask for candy. I assumed he'd always known such words, and that this knowledge came easily to him. Meanwhile, I would be condemned to uttering no more than three-syllable words—and to poor grades on vocabulary quizzes. I redoubled my efforts at studying, and while my quiz scores did inch up slightly, I felt that my father existed on some vocabulary plane that I'd never attain. What I didn't realize then was that my father's level of knowledge was very much within my grasp, but not from trying to memorize lists of words in a vocabulary book. For that's all our school gave us: books containing lists of words, with no exercises or examples providing context, just dry definitions to be parroted back for a passing grade. As I grew older, I became an avid reader. First I tried to figure out words in context and then always (and I mean always) consulted the dictionary. Now the previously dry, boring definition contained a special resonance: It unlocked the meaning of a word I had encountered "in the wild." And learning words begot more words. Soon, I was actively seeking to grow my vocabulary, picking up books that would offer vivid example sentences, colorful descriptions of a word's history, and synonyms galore. While providing riveting reading material (at least for a word lover), these books typically did not contain exercises to reinforce what I learned. It was only through sheer time and effort that I was able to build a strong vocabulary. What I hope to give to you, the reader, is a book that extends beyond mere examples of words in sentences and word history—however colorful—and allows you to engage in activities that reinforce the words you've studied. Using this book, you will learn not merely to parrot a definition but to understand how a word functions in context. That way, you won't only recognize words— you'll be able to use them yourself. By the time you've completed the lessons and activities in this book, you'll be a testament to what took me many years to realize: A large vocabulary is not built from memorizing word lists or from some innate verbal capacity that very few possess, but rather is formed through targeted practice and context recognition. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK This book is divided into 200 lessons, each featuring six to eight words that fit into the lesson's category. To test your knowledge of many of the words just introduced, you'll find a short activity at the end of each lesson asking you to use the new vocabulary in matching, unscrambling, and fill-in-the-blanks exercises. Many lessons have been created by grouping words according to a theme that presents words along a spectrum. For instance, Lesson 17's theme is "Only Fools Rush In," which includes words that mean "careful" and "thoughtful," in addition to words that mean "careless" and "reckless." This means that the words featured in each lesson are typically not all synonyms, as that would limit the range of possible activities—as well as make for dull reading. Additionally, this spectrum allows us to explore the sometimes-subtle distinctions between words. There is no single best way to use this book, as each of us has different needs. For instance, you might want to start by learning word roots if your vocabulary is not very strong. I find that learning roots is helpful for beginning students of vocabulary, because it allows them to group similar words around a small and thus easier to memorize segment of that word. At the other end of the spectrum, you might already have a strong vocabulary and wonder what in this book will be of value to you. To challenge even the word mavens among us, I have included some very difficult (though not too obscure) words. So as not to alienate beginner and intermediate learners, the words are arranged within each lesson according to difficulty. Each lesson begins with three words, arranged in order from easiest to most difficult. For each I offer the part of speech, pronunciation, definition, an example of the word in a sentence, etymology (or word history), and finally an interesting tidbit to keep in mind. For the remaining four or five words in the lesson, I provide only the part of speech, pronunciation, and definition. These words are also arranged from simplest to most advanced. The last word of this group is usually a tough one. Indeed, sometimes the final two words are both pretty recondite (yes, that word is included in this book!). The words are followed by an activity to help you gauge your understanding. So, if you're a beginner, you might want to focus on just a few words per lesson and then try the activity at the end. Intermediate learners might want to attempt the entire lesson. Finally, those who already have a strong vocabulary can just skim the hardest words in each lesson. That said, I do encourage everyone to try the activities, since their purpose is to reinforce what you've learned. Merely reading a definition and thinking "I've got it" isn't the same as actually testing yourself. Finally, don't assume that by reading this book one lesson at a time, without ever going back to previous sections, you'll retain very much. A vocabulary book, after all, is not a novel. Make a habit of revisiting previous lessons and redoing the activities (you might want to jot your answers on a separate piece of paper). After all, it is better to obtain a strong sense of a quarter of the words in this book than a tenuous grasp of half. One last point: You should use this book in conjunction with reading. And I don't mean just any reading. Seek out newspapers such as the New York Times or magazines such as the New Yorker or the Atlantic. As you read the articles in these publications, you'll recognize many of the words featured in this book. When we encounter words in their "natural habitat," not only do we get a deeper understanding of how they're used, but that encounter will be unexpected, making it more likely that our brains will retain the information. Ultimately, that is the intention of this book: to make us better readers, better writers, and better thinkers. FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS Setting Expectations The pace at which readers should progress through this book is determined to a large extent by the literacy level of the student. A good test of whether students should move on to another lesson is to ask them the definition of three words chosen at random from about 25 words (about three lessons). If they are able to tell you at least two definitions, then it is likely that they are ready to progress. Of course, watch out for "parrots," those who recite a definition perfectly but can't effectively use the word in a sentence. For this group, having them come up with an original sentence using the word is a good test of comprehension. If a student is retaining at least 60 percent of the words they learn, three lessons per week is a good pace. However, you might want to slow down the pace to two lessons a week to make sure the student is learning vocabulary cumulatively and not just scoring B or A on the weekly quiz and then forgetting most of the words a few weeks later. A few signs that a student should slow down: • Merely parrots definitions • Forgets most of the words from the previous week • Is unable to provide definitions for two out of three words chosen at random from three lessons • Seems to know the definitions but struggles with the fill-in-the-blank questions A few signs that a student should speed up: • Already knows many of the words in the lesson • Provides definitions to three out of three words chosen at random from three lessons Motivating Students Some students may become bored, thinking that if they answer most of the activity questions correctly they are done learning. The key to improving one's vocabulary is to commit words to long-term memory, so with these students, it is essential to continue testing them by choosing words at random. You might want to read fill-in-the-blank sentences out loud to see if they can come up with the word on their own. For those students who easily become discouraged, it's important to emphasize quality over quantity. Give them time to spend with just a few words and encourage them to use any of the additional resources mentioned in this book to provide them with deeper context of how a word is used. You might also give them tools such as flashcards to help them commit words to long-term memory. Additionally, they should be encouraged to use these words in the "real world"—that is, to relate them to something in their lives— so the words don't slip from their minds after a few days (see "Out and About" below). Out and About New words are all around us—from what we read online and in books to what we hear in the news and from our friends and colleagues. Looking up words that you don't know is an excellent habit that should be encouraged. And with so many of us wielding smartphones these days, checking definitions has never been easier. But the more real-life associations we can make with new words, the better. The truth is that students going through this book will have plenty of words swimming around in their heads. By thinking that those words are relevant only when they open up this vocabulary book, the student is missing out on a rich opportunity: to use these words in daily life. Encourage students to engage in one or more of these activities: 1. Use three words you learned that day as you walk to school. 2. Use some of the words you've learned in this book to describe the latest TV show you watched. 3. Use new words to describe whatever your mood happens to be. 4. Choose words from this book to describe five people you encounter throughout the day—though you might want to keep the word to yourself! 5. If you know the student has a specific interest or hobby, find an article relating to that. Have them read the article, and then quiz them on any relevant vocabulary afterward. Measuring Progress It is important to gauge just how much information a student is retaining. Yet, if they do poorly on a vocabulary quiz, they are likely to lose motivation. After all, one of the worst outcomes would be a student walking away from this book believing they're "just not a vocabulary person," when the real culprit was too many words thrown at them at once. Or perhaps the fact that they didn't understand some definitions but were too afraid to say so. So measuring progress is important, because it can reveal whether we need to slow down. It can also show us whether a student is flourishing. The key is to do it often, but in small doses. In other words, it is more effective to quiz a student on two or three lessons before moving on, rather than wait till they've worked through ten lessons only to find out that they are hardly retaining anything. So how do we know if they are actually learning from the book? • They are able to score well on quizzes in which they have to not just define a word but also demonstrate how it is used. • They are able to make connections with other words that are synonyms or antonyms, whether those words are in the same lesson or a previous one. • They are able to come up with part of the word, if before they were struggling to come up with anything at all. • You hear them use a word as a part of normal conversation. Finally, learning vocabulary takes a lot of commitment, and some students might be tempted to give up. But the more committed you are, the more that will inspire them to keep up with it. If you show joy at using these words (and even learning a few new ones yourself), that passion for learning will be contagious. PRONUNCIATION GUIDE a cat, flap ā page, face ä far b bar, cab CH check, catch d doll, bad e pet, best ē eat, bee er germ, earn f fear, leaf g grow, leg h her, hand i itch, tin ī idle, wire j joke, giraffe k key, rock l low, ball m man, ram n nose, run NG sing, wrong o lock, dot ō lobe, snow ô lord, board oi boy, soil ou cow, doubt o full, book o ghoul, boo p part, trap r run, start s sell, rest SH bash, flush t tire, great TH thump, path Θ them, breathe v vest, cove w word, wilt y yum, yell z zoo, graze ZH measure, vision ə as in the a in alert or the e in taken LESSON 1 Prefix: Pre- (PART 1) Pre- is the Latin root meaning "before," so it serves as a perfect place to begin this book—a kind of prelude. preamble (n.) prēˌambəl An introduction to a text. The most recognized preamble—the beginning of the United States Constitution—was written by Thomas Jefferson. This comes from the Latin for "walking before"; the Latin verb ambulare means "to walk." The word preface is a common synonym, though it usually refers to an introduction to a book, whereas preamble refers to an introduction to a formal document. presage (v.) presij To indicate something (usually bad) is about to happen. The sudden loss of jobs presaged an economic downturn. The Latin word ōmen is thought to be the origin for presage. Presage can also be a noun, describing an incident or event that presages something. prescient (adj.) preSH(ē)ənt Having knowledge of something before it happens. Kevin was so prescient—predicting the winners of the last five World Series —that his friends joked he was psychic. Scient comes from a root meaning "to know." The less common nescient plays on the same root (ne- meaning "not") and describes somebody who is ignorant. predilection (n.) predlˈekSHən A special fondness. precipitate (adj.) prəˈsipətət Rash, acting without thinking. predicate (v.) ˈpredəkāt To be based on. presentiment (n.) prəˈzentəmənt A feeling that something (typically bad) is about to happen. ACTIVITY 1 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. He was known to be _______________, once rushing out of his house without his shoes. 2. She had a _______________ for small, quiet cafés, where she could sit and read undisturbed. Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similiar, "R" if they are related, or "NR" if they are not related: 3. prescient and presage ______ 4. preamble and predicate ______ LESSON 2 Prefix: Pre- (PART 2) precedent (n.) presədənt Something that sets an example for how things are done in the future. The teacher told the student that if she let him turn in his homework late, it would set a precedent for the rest of the class to do the same. Precedent is closely related to precede, which means "to go before." Another closely related word is unprecedented, meaning that something is unlike anything that has come before it. pretentious (adj.) prəˈtenSHəs Acting more important than others by pretending to know more. After returning from Europe, Dwight behaved in a pretentious way, speaking with a foreign accent and telling all his friends they had no idea what they were missing. This word is related to pretend. Pretentious always has a negative connotation, unlike its antonym, unpretentious, which is generally positive. pretense (n.) prēˌtens A claim or assertion not based on fact. He finally dropped the pretense that everything was fine and began listing his complaints. Pretense is derived from the Latin verb praetendere meaning to "allege in excuse" or "extend in front," though the current meaning has diverged from this. Pretense is closely related to pretentious, both of which are related to pretend. predecessor (n.) predəˌsesər One that comes before, often a person who previously held a position before passing it on to someone else. precursor (n.) prēˈkərsər Something that comes before another; used only for things, not for people. pretext (n.) prēˌtekst A reason given for something that is not the actual reason. precocious (adj.) prəˈkōSHəs Developing early (usually in terms of ability). preclude (v.) prəˈklo d To make it impossible for something to happen. ACTIVITY 2 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. The five-year-old was clearly _______________, able to play Vivaldi's The Four Seasons by ear. 2. A felony record can _______________ employment at many companies. 3. The fire was without _______________: Never in the state's history had 50 percent of its forest burned down. Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similiar, "R" if they are related, or "NR" if they are not related: 4. precursor and predecessor ______ 5. pretense and precedent ______ 6. pretext and precocious ______ LESSON 3 Eponymous Parts of Speech from Antiquity (PART 1) Eponyms are words that are derived, or taken, from the name of a person, place, or thing either real or fictional. tantalize (v.) tan(t)lˌīz To torment someone with something they want without ever giving it to them. The photos of white sand beaches he hung in his office merely tantalized Robert; he never could find time for a vacation. Tantalus was a mythological figure who spent eternity grasping for a fruit that was just outside his reach. Tantalus also stood in a pool of water that receded every time he tried to take a drink. pyrrhic (adj.) pirik Describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost. Becoming the citywide spelling bee champ was a pyrrhic victory for Shannon; she spent so much time studying that she had few friends. Pyrrhus was a Greek general triumphant in battle, but at such great cost that he was unable to continue fighting the Romans. Pyrrhic is almost always followed by the word victory. laconic (adj.) ləˈkänik Using as few words as possible when speaking. Hollywood often portrays cowboys as laconic types, who mutter no more than a few syllables as replies. Laconia was a region in ancient Sparta, where its inhabitants were known for using few words. Philip of Macedon is said to have told the Spartans, "If I attack your land, I will utterly destroy it." The reply was simply: "If." draconian (adj.) drəˈkōnēən Extremely strict, as laws or rules. jeremiad (n.) jerəˈmīəd A long speech full of complaints. cicerone (n.) sisəˈrōnē A guide who gives speeches to sightseers. ACTIVITY 3 Match the word with its meaning: 1. laconic ______ a. a guide who gives speeches to sightseers 2. jeremiad ______ b. describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost 3. cicerone ______ c. to torment someone with something they want without ever giving it to them 4. draconian ______ d. extremely strict, as laws or rules 5. pyrrhic ______ e. a long speech full of complaints 6. tantalize ______ f. using as few words as possible when speaking LESSON 4 Eponymous Parts of Speech from Antiquity (PART 2) nemesis (n.) neməsəs One who constantly works to ensure another's downfall. No matter how well Greg played soccer, his nemesis, the fleet-footed Betty, always outplayed him. Nemesis was the god of anger, known for his great vengeance. Most comic book characters have a nemesis; for instance, Batman has the Joker, while Superman has Lex Luthor. platonic (adj.) pləˈtänik Describes a close relationship that has no romantic or sexual basis. The two had a platonic relationship, sharing gourmet recipes, works of literature, and classical music CDs. Platonic is derived from Plato, the philosopher known for his great mind. Another way of looking at platonic is that it describes the absence of any romance. thespian (n.) THespēən An actor. Rita was quite the thespian, acting in all of her school's plays. According to legend, Thespis was the first actor in ancient Greece. This word is usually used in a sarcastic sense. spartan (adj.) spärtn Lacking in comfort or flourishes (describing either a lifestyle or accommodations). juggernaut (n.) jəgərˌnôt An unstoppable, destructive force or thing. maudlin (adj.) môdlən Overly self-pitying, often used to describe someone who becomes sentimental when intoxicated. hector (v.) hektər To bully (usually through words). ACTIVITY 4 Unscramble the word and define: 1. p a n s t a r ______________________________ 2. p o n t i c a l ___________________________ 3. p i e s t h a n ___________________________ 4. e t o r c h ___________________________ Write the words that complete the paragraph: Though the home team was able to stop their _______________, their opponent's star player was a true _______________, slam-dunking over everyone. Yet, in the end, it was a _______________ victory. Their all- state point guard broke his collarbone, and after losing the last three games of the year, the team was _______________, lapsing into bouts of self-pity. LESSON 5 Words from French (PART 1) French has given us a surprising array of English words, everything from restaurant to denim. Pay careful attention to the pronunciation of these words as they may differ significantly from what you expect. nonchalant (adj.) nänSHəˈlänt Giving off a sense of calmness and coolness. Katy lulled opponents by nonchalantly walking onto the court; only when the whistle blew did she explode with ferocity. Nonchalant is derived from a French word meaning "indifferent," or "not caring." Nonchalant is synonymous with insouciant (see sidebar) and is much more commonly used. adroit (adj.) əˈdroit Skillful, either mentally or with one's hands. She was a master networker, adroit at shifting conversations from one person to another. Adroit is from the French à droit, meaning "according to right" or "properly." Good synonyms to know are adept and dexterous (used only for manual adroitness). Alternatively, the word maladroit means "clumsy." chicanery (n.) SHəˈkān(ə)rē Trickery or deception, usually in politics or where money is involved. The mayor was known for his chicanery, over the years cheating the public out of millions. Chicanery comes from a French verb meaning "to trick." Good synonyms to know are duplicity and subterfuge, which also describe kinds of deception. demur (v.) dəˈmər To object to doing something. insouciant (adj.) inˈso sēənt, inˈso SHənt Showing a lack of concern or interest. arriviste (n.) ärēˈvēst A person who is extremely ambitious and has recently acquired wealth or power. parvenu (n.) pärvəˌn(y)o A person who has recently gained status or celebrity. ACTIVITY 5 Match the word with its synonym: 1. arriviste chicanery 2. insouciant parvenu 3. subterfuge nonchalant Write the word that completes each sentence: 4. Carl didn't find the two-hour walk too difficult, but he wanted to _______________ the next morning when his friends proposed a strenuous hike. 5. The new senator easily beat out his predecessor, who was known for his _____________. LESSON 6 Words from French (PART 2) rapport (n.) raˈpôr, rəˈpôr Understanding and similar feelings that exist between people or groups. Sarah took no time at all in establishing a rapport with others, talking to strangers on the train platform as though they were long-lost friends. Rapport comes from an Old French word for "relationship" and "harmony." This word is similar to "mutual understanding," but always implies a friendly relationship. passé (adj.) paˈsā No longer in fashion. Over the years her style has become passé—after all, who wears pastels these days? From the French for "past, gone by." Google shows that the word passé is itself becoming somewhat passé, its use dropping since 1900. cache (n.) kaSH A collection of items hidden or stored away for future use. The bears had discovered the campers' food cache, making away with everything from sugar-coated cereal to beef jerky. From the French for "to hide," cache was often used by French Canadian hunters to describe where they hid their provisions. Cache has also come to mean "short-term computer memory where information is stored for easy retrieval." raconteur (n.) räˌkänˈtər A skilled storyteller. sortie (n.) sôrˈtē An attack from a defensive position. gauche (adj.) gōSH Clumsy and socially awkward. sangfroid (n.) säNGˈfrwä Utter calmness and composure, especially under pressure. ACTIVITY 6 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. Nobody had ever stood up to the intimidating principal before, but with complete _______________, Alice listed what was wrong with the cafeteria menu. 2. The two baseball coaches had a good _______________ and chatted animatedly on the field before their teams faced off. 3. Larry had not shopped for clothes in nearly five years, during which time most of the styles he favored had become _______________. Provide the word for the given definition: 4. clumsy and socially awkward = _______________ 5. a collection of items hidden or stored away for future use = _______________ 6. a skilled storyteller = _______________ LESSON 7 Words from French (PART 3) liaison (n.) lēəˌzän, lēˈāzän A person who helps two parties communicate. The prime minister was wary of meeting foreign dignitaries, so he used his trusted advisor as a liaison. Originally a cooking term, meaning "to bind together." Dangerous Liaisons is an Oscar-winning film from 1988 that depicts the scheming of the French royal court. envoy (n.) ˈänˌvoi A messenger, usually on a diplomatic mission. During medieval times, being an envoy was a perilous job, given the constant threats from bandits. From the French for "one sent." On the other hand, an envoi (note spelling) is a type of poem. sans (prep.) sanz Typically a facetious way of saying "without." A roundabout way of saying naked is "sans clothing." From Old French, meaning "without." The sans-culottes were lower-class revolutionaries during the French Revolution. Culottes were breeches, or short pants, fashionable with the upper classes; the sans-culottes favored longer pants. filial (adj.) filyəl Relating to the obligations of a son or daughter. droll (adj.) drōl Odd and therefore amusing. ACTIVITY 7 Fill in the missing letters to complete each word and then define it: 1. _ i _ i s _ n _______________ 2. s _ _ s _______________ 3. _ r o _ _ _______________ 4. _ n v o _ _______________ 5. _ i _ i a _ _______________ LESSON 8 Compound Words and Phrases from French French also gives us many phrases, composed of two or more words, that have been integrated into English. Add these to your conversation to give a little dash of sophistication. faux pas (n.) fō-ˈpä An act or comment with embarrassing social consequences. The diplomat quickly lost his overseas post after one too many faux pas. This is French for "false step." Though we often hear it used in the phrase fashion faux pas, the term can apply to any social blunder. It is spelled the same in the singular and the plural. in lieu of (prep.) in loo əv In place of, substitute. A good online dictionary can be used in lieu of a traditional desktop dictionary. Lieu is the French word for "place." The word lieu is not typically used by itself in English. enfant terrible (n.) änfän teˈrēbl(ə) A person whose commentary or behavior is aimed to shock. Lady Gaga, the pop music artist, was seen by many as an enfant terrible for wearing a dress made out of meat during the MTV music awards. In French this word translates literally to "terrible child." Note that the plural of enfant terrible is enfants terribles, with an -s on the ends of both words. tête-à-tête (n.) tetəˈtet A private conversation between two people. savoir vivre (n.) savwär veevruh A familiarity and ease with polite society. savoir faire (n.) savwärˈfer The skill of saying and doing just the right thing in social situations. esprit de corps (n.) eˌsprē dəˈkôr The spirit of belongingness and pride of a tightly knit group. ACTIVITY 8 Match the phrase to its meaning: 1. in lieu of ______ a. a familiarity and ease with polite society 2. savoir vivre ______ b. a person whose comments or behavior is aimed to shock 3. savoir faire ______ c. the spirit of belongingness and pride of a tightly knit group 4. tête-à-tête ______ d. an act or comment with embarrassing social consequences 5. enfant terrible ______ e. in place of 6. esprit de corps ______ f. a private conversation 7. faux pas ______ g. the skill of saying and doing just the right thing LESSON 9 Words from German Jawohl! German has contributed more to English than you might realize. Below are some Germanic words, both common and challenging. poltergeist (n.) pōltərˌgīst A ghost that supposedly causes noisy disturbances in the environment. Though home alone, Mark and Lisa heard the sound of crashing dishes from downstairs; Mark shrugged and said, "Poltergeist." This translates literally to "noisy ghost." Those who saw the early 1980s film Poltergeist will find this an easy word to remember. kitsch (n.) kiCH Cheap art whose owners are usually aware of its lack of value. Greta's house was full of kitsch: amateur sketches of sunsets, plastic trinkets, and unidentifiable items she'd picked up at a bazaar. Comes from the German for "trash." The adjective kitschy is also commonly used. doppelganger (n.) däpəlˌgaNGər A person who looks remarkably like another person. Many believe that each one of us has a doppelganger walking around, a virtual twin. In German this means "double goer." An eerie version of a doppelganger involves the singer Justin Timberlake and a Civil War veteran who looks exactly like him. kaput (adj.) kəˈpo t No longer functioning, as a device or machine. verboten (adj.) fərˈbōtən, vərˈbōtən Forbidden or prohibited. zeitgeist (n.) tsītˌgīst The mood of a particular time period as captured by ideas and culture. schadenfreude (n.) SHädənˌfroidə Delight taken in another's misfortune. bildungsroman (n.) bildo NGzrōˌmän A coming-of-age story. ACTIVITY 9 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. a ghost that supposedly causes noisy disturbances = _______________ 2. forbidden or prohibited = _______________ 3. the mood of a particular time period as captured by ideas and culture = _______________ 4. delight in another's misfortune = _______________ 5. a coming-of-age story = _______________ 6. no longer functioning, as a device or machine = _______________ 7. cheap art whose owners are usually aware of its lack of value = _______________ 8. a person who looks remarkably like another person = _______________ LESSON 10 Words with an Italian Origin (PART 1) While many words derive from Latin, to which Italian is closely related, some words come to us directly from Italian. citadel (n.) sitədəl A fortress standing above and protecting a city. Once the citadel had fallen to the marauders, the residents lost hope of defending their city. This comes from an Old Italian word for "city." burlesque (n.) bərˈlesk An exaggerated imitation of something, typically in a dramatic work. The Monty Python comedy team has done a hilarious burlesque on the search for the Holy Grail. Burlesque is originally from the Italian for "ludicrous," but has come more recently from French. Burlesque can also refer to a variety show, typically for adults. pastiche (n.) paˈstēSH A mixture of elements that typically don't go together. The television show was a pastiche of 1970s sitcoms and 1980s science- fictional dramas. This comes from the Italian for "paste," but like burlesque, is more recently from French. A pastiche can also refer to a musical work composed completely of ideas taken from different works. archipelago (n.) ärkəˈpeləˌgō A cluster of islands. salvo (n.) salˌvō A simultaneous discharge of guns, often used figuratively to mean a verbal attack. imbroglio (n.) imˈbrōlyō A complicated (and embarrassing) situation or mess. littoral (adj.) lidərəl Located along the shoreline. ACTIVITY 10 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. The Greek ______________ is a popular destination for those who enjoy island hopping. 2. Overlooking the city was a mighty ___________ that few would ever consider attacking. 3. The artist's musical style is a _____________ of jazz, hip-hop, and electronica. 4. Things seemed to have died down between the two feuding celebrities until one of them unleashed a ______________ on social media. Provide the definition: 5. littoral = ________________________ 6. imbroglio = ________________________ 7. burlesque = ________________________ LESSON 11 Words with an Italian Origin (PART 2) bravado (n.) brəˈväˌdō A bold act meant to show off. The teenage boys jumped into the water from increasingly higher points on the rock, but their bravado did not impress the girls below. Related to the sixteenth-century Italian word for "brag," this word can also be traced to Middle French and Spanish. Notice that the root brav- is very similar to "brave." manifesto (n.) manəˈfestō A document describing the aims of a group or organization. The political splinter group first became known when it posted a 50-page manifesto in the city park, asking that the current government step down because of years of corruption. From the Italian for "a public declaration." Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto is one of the best-known manifestos in history. ruffian (n.) rəfēən A person inclined to violence and criminal behavior. The town had become much safer, compared to the early days when ruffians would prowl the street looking for victims. This word comes from both Old French and Italian and describes a pimp or, more generally, anyone willing to commit a crime. Think of this word as a combination of bully and criminal. (Notice, as well, that "ruff-" sounds exactly like "rough.") dilettante (n.) diləˈtänt Someone who develops an interest in an area of art or music without being a true expert. cognoscenti (n.) känyəˈSHentē Those who are well versed in a particular subject. intelligentsia (n.) inˌteləˈjen(t)sēə The intellectuals or highly educated people in a society. ACTIVITY 11 Write the words that complete each sentence: 1. Gloria was no _______________; she had been a staff writer for an art magazine and was considered one of the _______________ in the subject of chiaroscuro. 2. When the _______________ walked by, Stefan, in an act of _______________, yelled, "Keep on walking, buddy!" Provide the definition: 3. intelligentsia = ________________________ 4. manifesto = ________________________ LESSON 12 Words from India Surprisingly, Hindi and Sanskrit, the ancient Indian languages, have given us such common terms as pajamas and shampoo. Here are some other words that may sound familiar but whose exact definition eludes you. guru (n.) go ro One who is a master in his or her field. Eli hired a self-proclaimed tech guru to fix his laptop, but his computer still would not reboot. Originally from Hindi for "learned teacher." Guru can also refer to a spiritual teacher, especially in Hinduism or Buddhism. bungalow (n.) bəNGgəˌlō A low, one-story house, usually with a large porch or veranda. The family would retreat to their country bungalow, where they'd enjoy long Sunday afternoons sipping tea on the veranda. This word derives from the Indian state Bengal, where this type of home was originally found. Traditional bungalows in India had a thatched roof, typically made of straw. pundit (n.) pəndət An expert in a specific field. The president's controversial Supreme Court pick will have all the television networks trotting out their favorite pundits come morning. Sanskrit, an ancient language of India, is the source of pundit, which means "learned master." Though pundit and guru are very similar, today a pundit most often refers to an expert in a field (usually politics) who offers up his or her opinion, whereas a guru simply describes an expert. karma (n.) kärmə In Hinduism and Buddhism, the determination of one's fate by one's actions. mantra (n.) mantrə An oft-repeated phrase or slogan. avatar (n.) avəˌtär The embodiment of a certain idea in a person. pariah (n.) pəˈrīə An outcast. ACTIVITY 12 Match the word with its meaning: 1. a low, one-story house, usually with a large porch or veranda ______ a. pundit 2. an expert in a specific field ______ b. pariah 3. the determination of one's fate by one's actions ______ c. mantra 4. an outcast ______ d. avatar 5. an oft-repeated phrase or slogan ______ e. bungalow 6. the embodiment of a certain idea in a person ______ f. karma 7. a master ______ g. guru LESSON 13 Traveling Words Now that we've "traveled" to a few different countries by looking at some of the words they've contributed to English, it makes sense to explore terms that relate to travel itself—or, in some cases, the lack of travel. wanderlust (n.) wändərˌləst A strong and constant desire to travel. Felix spent his twenties trying to satisfy his wanderlust, visiting no fewer than 50 countries on four continents. Wanderlust comes from the German for "desire for wandering." Wanderlust is also the name of a British magazine that describes itself as "for people with a passion for travel." cosmopolitan (adj.) käzməˈpälətən Comfortable and familiar with many different cultures. She became much more cosmopolitan after a dozen trips abroad, achieving near fluency in Spanish and French. The origin of cosmopolitan is the Greek words kosmos ("world") and politēs ("citizen"). You can think of someone who is cosmopolitan as a citizen of the world. insular (adj.) ins(y)ələr Closed off from the rest of the world, unfamiliar with other cultures. Since the dictator had closed off the country from foreign influence, the populace was becoming more insular with each passing year. From the Latin for "belonging to an island." Insular is an antonym of cosmopolitan. provincial (adj.) prəˈvin(t)SH(ə)l Narrow-minded, unexposed to different cultures or ideas. jaunt (n.) jônt A journey taken for pleasure. parochial (adj.) pəˈrōkēəl Having a narrow or limited perspective. junket (n.) jəNGkət An extravagant trip, usually funded by the government or some other entity. ACTIVITY 13 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "O" if they are opposite, or "D" if they are different: 1. cosmopolitan and insular ______ 2. provincial and parochial ______ 3. jaunt and junket ______ 4. wanderlust and parochial ______ LESSON 14 Misleading Words (PART 1) Much of this book features lessons based on roots, from both Latin and Greek. However, you'll find that some words appear to have familiar roots but actually mean something completely different. This is either because that root has taken on a different meaning in a particular word, or because it is in fact a different root entirely. sedulous (adj.) sejələs Hardworking and attentive. The father sedulously painted each of the small toy trains before presenting them to his son. While this word might remind you of sedentary, it has a different Latin root, meaning "busy" or "diligent." Think of sedulous as a combination of diligent and detail-oriented. restive (adj.) restiv Restless, agitated. The citizens became restive in the wake of the earthquake, their supplies dwindling and little relief on the horizon. Though this word might sound like restful, it signifies the exact opposite. Unruly and uncontrollable are two synonyms for restive. peruse (v.) pəˈro z To read carefully. It is always advisable to peruse legal documents. Peruse can also mean "to glance over or through in a casual manner." Synonyms for peruse include scrutinize and inspect. punctilious (adj.) pəNG(k)ˈtilēəs Extremely careful about details, to the point of being fussy. equivocate (v.) əˈkwivəˌkāt To be intentionally vague and misleading. predicament (n.) prəˈdikəmənt A difficult situation that isn't easy to escape. prepossessing (adj.) prēpəˈzesiNG Attractive and charming. ACTIVITY 14 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. a difficult situation that isn't easy to escape = _______________ 2. attractive and charming = _______________ 3. extremely careful about details, to the point of being fussy = _______________ 4. restless, agitated = _______________ 5. hardworking and attentive = _______________ 6. to read carefully = _______________ 7. to be intentionally vague and misleading = _______________ LESSON 15 Misleading Words (PART 2) gratuitous (adj.) grəˈt(y)o ətəs Unwarranted or uncalled for, given the situation. Kevin decided to boycott the spelling bee, claiming it was gratuitous to have to repeat the word after saying it once and correctly spelling it. Many think of gratuity—from the restaurant bill—when they see this word, or even link it with grateful or gratitude. Gratuitous can also describe a service provided for free. However, this usage is much more uncommon. intemperate (adj.) inˈtemp(ə)rət Given to excess, typically with regard to drinking alcohol. Even those counting calories can become intemperate during the holiday season. Though this word seems to relate to one's mood or temper, it actually refers to one's appetite. The opposite of this word—temperate—gave its name to the Temperance movement, a period during which alcohol was banned in America. burnish (v.) bərniSH To make shiny. Karen spent the entire afternoon burnishing the silver until she could see her reflection perfectly. This word does not relate to setting anything on fire. Rather, it comes from an Old French word meaning "to polish." This word can also be used figuratively to describe the process of polishing something to improve one's image, for example a resume. quiescent (adj.) kwēˈesnt Describing a state or period of inactivity. redress (v.) rəˈdres To make right or correct some wrongdoing. remiss (adj.) rəˈmis Negligent, derelict, lackadaisical, or neglectful. preeminent (adj.) prēˈemənənt The best of its kind. mannerism (n.) manəˌrizəm A way of speaking or behaving that is specific to an individual. ACTIVITY 15 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. As much as the prime minister hoped the publicity would _______________ his dwindling reputation, the country saw through his motives. 2. Hoping to _______________ the fact that he cut in line, he explained that he was late to pick up his son at school. 3. The parking attendant was _______________ in his duties due to his habit of napping during his shift. 4. After months of ominous rumbling, the volcano has thankfully become ______________. 5. Derrick's _______________ days were over, and he gave up alcohol entirely. 6. She felt that her brother's high fives were _______________ because even when she didn't do a good job, there was his hand. LESSON 16 Quiet to Noisy These words range from the calm and serene to the loud and out of control. placid (adj.) plasəd Tranquil, calm. As Bucky neared 12 years old, his formerly feisty nature disappeared, and he became placid, hanging out on the porch and wagging his tail. Placid comes from a Latin word meaning "to please." You might know this word from Lake Placid, a lake that is, by all accounts, peaceful. rambunctious (adj.) ramˈbəNG(k)SHəs Out of control and overly excited. The rambunctious trio of toddlers bounced about the room, oblivious to the adults whispering "shush." This word likely came from a similar old word, rumbustious. Synonyms are boisterous and unruly. susurrus (n.) so ˈsərəs A whispering or rustling sound. The late autumn wind made itself known in the susurrus of freshly swept leaves. This comes from the Latin meaning "to whisper." Given this word's poetic flair, it tends to appear mostly in literary contexts. murmur (v.) mərmər To say very softly, almost indiscernibly. raucous (adj.) rôkəs Loud and unruly. hubbub (n.) həbəb The loud noise caused by a crowd. obstreperous (adj.) əbˈstrepərəs Very noisy and out of control. ACTIVITY 16 Give three words that mean the opposite of placid (the first letters are given): 1. r______________ 2. r______________ 3. o______________ Write the word that completes each sentence: 4. The new student tended to _______________ when he spoke, so the teacher had to strain to hear him. 5. From a mile away, the waterfall was a mere _______________, its violent power not yet manifest. 6. Because of the _______________ of her office party, Patricia could barely hear the voice on her phone. LESSON 17 Only Fools Rush In There are a host of words in English that mean "to rush in without thinking." There are also a few that express the exact opposite. prudent (adj.) pro dənt Careful and thoughtful. The squirrel is known for being prudent, storing acorns away for later rather than eating them all at once. This word comes from a Latin word for provident, meaning "to foresee and make provision for the future." Good synonyms to know are judicious and discreet. On the other hand, the opposite of prudent is imprudent. wary (adj.) werē Cautious and alert. The hikers had heard reports of a grizzly bear, so they were wary as they stepped through the dense forest. Wary derives from an Old Norse word for "attentive." A good way to think of this word is "on the lookout" or "on one's toes." impetuous (adj.) imˈpeCH(o )əs Acting without forethought, reckless. The young lovers were so impetuous that they ignored their parents' warnings and eloped under the cover of night. Comes from a Middle English word meaning "violent." The noun form, impetuosity, is not commonly used these days, but there's a good chance you'll stumble upon it in the works of Jane Austen. heedless (adj.) hēdləs Reckless. chary (adj.) CHerē Careful and cautious. rash (adj.) raSH Acting without thinking. ACTIVITY 17 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "O" if they are opposite, or "D" if they are different: 1. heedless and chary ______ 2. impetuous and rash ______ 3. prudent and wary ______ LESSON 18 Speaking Words Many English words mean "talkative," while others mean "quiet." reticent (adj.) retəsənt Tight-lipped, not offering one's thoughts freely. The suspect was reticent, wary that he might reveal something that could be used against him in court. The origin of reticent is a Latin word meaning "to be silent." Reticent is a popular word on the SAT and GRE. garrulous (adj.) ger(y)ələs Speaking more than necessary, chatty. While many faulted Nate for being garrulous, it was just his way of building rapport. This word comes from the Latin for "throat" (to remember garrulous, think of the word "gargle," which involves your throat, as does speaking). This word is a synonym of loquacious. verbose (adj.) vərˈbōs Using more words than necessary. Patrick tended to be verbose; he believed that the more he talked, the more his personality would shine through. Comes from the Latin meaning "full of words." Whereas garrulous refers only to speech, verbose can also be used to describe writing. In this context, two good antonyms to know are succinct and concise. taciturn (adj.) tasəˌtərn Quiet and reserved, brooding. mince (v.) mins To not speak directly for fear of offending. hedge (v.) hej To not commit oneself fully verbally. loquacious (adj.) lōˈkwāSHəs Talkative, long-winded. palaver (n.) pəˈlavər Idle chatter. ACTIVITY 18 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. using more words than are necessary = _______________ 2. idle chatter = _______________ 3. to not speak directly for fear of offending = _______________ 4. to not commit oneself fully verbally = _______________ 5. quiet and reserved = _______________ LESSON 19 Just How Much? (PART 1) Quantity words abound in English, such as the word abound itself. Here are some important ones to know. cornucopia (n.) kôrn(y)əˈkōpēə A large supply of something desirable. The weekend spa retreat offered a cornucopia of indulgences, everything from a two-hour massage to energy healing. Comes from the "horn of plenty," a legendary horn capable of conjuring up whatever its owner desired. legion (adj.) lējən Large in number. Though her detractors are legion, the pop singer still sells millions of copies of each of her albums. This word historically described a large group of Roman soldiers, but today it can refer to any multitude. Legion can also be a noun referring to any large group, often of people; good synonyms for the noun form are throng and horde. surfeit (n.) sərfət Too much of something. There is a surfeit of online news sources, though most tend to fall on one side or the other of the political spectrum. Surfeit is from the French verb faire meaning "to do" and sur-meaning "over." This word is often used in the context of food and drink, which is not surprising given that one of its older meanings was "overindulgence." glut (n.) glət An excess. multitude (n.) məltəˌt(y)o d A great number. myriad (n.) mirēəd An immense number. plethora (n.) pleTHərə An excessive number of something. copious (adj.) kōpēəs Abundant in number. ACTIVITY 19 Write the word for each etymology or "root history." 1. horn of plenty = _______________ 2. "to overdo" in French = _______________ 3. large group of Roman soldiers = _______________ Unscramble the word and define: 4. dairym ______________________________ 5. hareplot ______________________________ LESSON 20 Just How Much? (PART 2) paucity (n.) pôsətē Lack of something. Citizens claim that there has been a paucity of goodwill, with few reaching out to help in a time of need. Originally from the Latin for "a few." Another way of saying paucity is scarcity or lack. superfluous (adj.) so ˈpərflo əs Excessive, nonessential. He had already notified his friends via text that he would be late for the movie, so he figured that posting an additional message on social media would be superfluous. Another word that comes from Latin, this one meaning super- ("over") and fluous ("flow"). wanting (adj.) wän(t)iNG Lacking, deficient. Jerry's charm was clearly wanting, yet he still wondered why his dates never went well. This word comes from Old Norse for "deficiency." dearth (n.) dərTH Lack, scarcity. modicum (n.) mädəkəm A limited quantity. iota (n.) īˈōtə An extremely small amount. extraneous (adj.) ikˈstrānēəs Nonessential. ACTIVITY 20 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. excessive, nonessential = _______________ 2. a limited quantity = _______________ 3. an extremely small amount = _______________ 4. lacking = _______________ 5. lack (two words) = _______________ LESSON 21 In My Opinion Humans are an opinionated bunch, and we have vocabulary that does an excellent job of capturing this. dogmatic (adj.) dôgˈmadik Claiming one's opinion as though it were the unarguable truth. William became dogmatic in his insistence on the superiority of his wine, stating its many excellent attributes, even though we all found it undrinkable. This word comes from the Greek dogma, meaning "a fixed belief." Another way to think of dogmatic is "highly opinionated." didactic (adj.) dīˈdaktik Trying to instruct or impart knowledge, but typically in a way that is slightly condescending. Heather's attention began to wander as the lecturer became increasingly didactic about the difference between a semicolon and a comma. Also from Greek, but this time from a word meaning "to teach." An autodidact is somebody who is self-taught. This relatively uncommon word does not carry a negative connotation. retract (v.) rəˈtrakt To take back a statement or an offer. Once video footage revealed that she had accidentally scratched her own car, she retracted the statements she'd made earlier about my careless driving. From the Latin for "to draw back." Forswear is a synonym, along with deny. assertive (adj.) əˈsərdiv Willing to advocate for oneself, confident. repudiate (v.) rəˈpyo dēˌāt To reject, to renounce. adamant (adj.) adəmənt Unyielding, not giving in. doctrinaire (adj.) däktrəˈner Sticking to a fixed way of doing something despite changes in circumstances. ACTIVITY 21 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. He enjoyed teaching others whenever he could, though his friends found him _______________. 2. Though he was seen at the scene of the crime, the defendant continued to _______________ any charges to the contrary. 3. Even though the situation had changed drastically, John was _______________, insisting that his friends follow the original plan. 4. Despite the fact that the so-called UFO had revealed itself to be nothing more than a distant cloud, the six-year-old was ______________ that she had witnessed a flying saucer. 5. The mother encouraged her son to be more _______________, to speak up for himself when he felt others were taking advantage of him. LESSON 22 How Big Is Your Appetite? English has a healthy selection of words for "very hungry" and also a bunch for those who deny themselves even the smallest of pleasures. voracious (adj.) vəˈrāSHəs Having an extremely large appetite. A voracious eater, Mark ploughed through a mountain of food that summer. From the Latin for "large appetite;" notice the similarity between vor- and - vour. The word can also be used figuratively. ascetic (adj.) əˈsetik Denying oneself simple pleasures, typically for religious reasons. As soon as January rolled around, Trevor became ascetic, eating only small servings of rice and chicken for 30 days. Originally used to describe Christians who went to the desert to live in seclusion with very few means. Be careful not to confuse this word with aesthetic, which means "pertaining to beauty." abstemious (adj.) əbˈstēmēəs Refraining from drinking or eating too much. In an effort to be kind to his liver, Harold became abstemious, drastically cutting his vodka intake. Temetum is the Latin for "intoxicating drink," while ab- is a root meaning "away." This word is not as extreme as ascetic and also applies only to food and drink, and not lifestyle. insatiable (adj.) inˈsāSHəb(ə)l Describing a hunger that cannot be satisfied. sate (v.) ˈsāt To satisfy in terms of consuming enough. gourmand (n.) go rˈmänd Person who enjoys fine food, typically to excess. ravenous (adj.) rav(ə)nəs Extremely hungry, insatiable. ACTIVITY 22 Mark "T" for true and "F" for false: 1. someone who is ascetic is also abstemious ______ 2. someone who is easily sated is insatiable ______ 3. a gourmand tends to be ravenous ______ 4. someone who is voracious isn't easily sated ______ LESSON 23 A Question of Trust While some words for trust exist, they seem to be outnumbered by those for deceit. hoodwink (v.) ho dˌwiNGk To deceive. The Internet is awash in various schemes that try to hoodwink you into coughing up your credit card info. Comes from the sixteenth century and means "to blind by covering the eyes." A less common synonym is cozen, which implies clever trickery. charlatan (n.) SHärlədən Someone who pretends to have knowledge they don't to hoodwink you. "Fake it till you make it" is the credo of the charlatan, who will try to pass off phony knowledge. Originates from Old Italian for "to babble." The movie Catch Me If You Can is the true tale of Frank Abagnale, who was the consummate charlatan, pretending at various points in his life to be a doctor, a pilot, and a lawyer. steadfast (adj.) stedˌfast Firmly devoted. Throughout life, Patrick could count only a few steadfast friends, those who had kept by his side even during the most trying times. From the Old English for "standing securely in place." Staunch and dedicated are two synonyms for steadfast. bilk (v.) bilk To cheat or swindle, usually involving money. ruse (n.) ro z A clever trick. bamboozle (v.) bamˈbo zəl To cheat or deceive. stalwart (adj.) stôlwərt Loyal and reliable. fidelity (n.) fəˈdelədē Faithfulness, loyalty. ACTIVITY 23 Match the word with its definition: 1. charlatan ______ a. a trick 2. bilk ______ b. faithfulness, loyalty 3. ruse ______ c. to deceive 4. fidelity ______ d. someone who pretends to have knowledge they don't actually possess 5. hoodwink ______ e. to cheat or swindle, usually involving money LESSON 24 Is That a Compliment? (PART 1) Whether compliment or insult, we have plenty of words in English to convey the exact sentiment. laud (v.) lôd To praise for great work, typically in public. He was lauded in the city newspaper for his years of volunteer work. Laud comes from Latin, meaning "commend, honor, praise." Acclaim and commend are two synonyms. lionize (v.) līəˌnīz To treat as a celebrity. In certain parts of the country, some hometowns lionize their high school teams and players the way they would professional athletes. This word comes from England, by way of the Tower of London. Centuries ago, lions were kept in the Tower of London as an object of curiosity, drawing droves of spectators. deprecate (v.) deprəˌkāt To express disapproval. Mario typically deprecated romantic comedies, but (much to his dismay) he found himself laughing at the movie his wife dragged him along to see. From the Latin for "praying against one deemed evil." A similar word is depreciate, which means "to lower in value." derisory (adj.) dəˈrīs(ə)rē Derisive, putting down someone or something. hail (v.) hāl To praise or acclaim, usually loudly. approbative (adj.) uh-proh-buh-tiv Expressing approval. reproach (v.) rəˈprōCH To express disappointment. ACTIVITY 24 Complete the word for each definition: 1. to treat like a celebrity = __ioni__ 2. to express disappointment = rep_____ 3. to praise publicly = l___d 4. to acclaim vigorously = __ai__ 5. to express disapproval = de____ate 6. expressing approval = __ ro__tive LESSON 25 Is That a Compliment? (PART 2) slight (v.) slīt To insult by ignoring. Jeremy intended to slight Mark by not inviting him to his bachelor party. This comes from a word meaning "to have little worth." The common definition of this word—"small in physical stature"—comes from a different root word, meaning "smooth." pejorative (adj.) pəˈjôrədiv Describing a word or phrase that has a negative association. The word garbage man has a pejorative ring to it, and has in the last few decades been replaced by the term sanitation worker. Derived from the Latin for "to make worse." Pejorative can also be a noun denoting a word with a negative connotation. kudos (n.) k(y)o ˌdäs Praise given for a job well done. Every Friday, the company encouraged a round of kudos, in which each employee praised a fellow coworker for something they had done well during the week. Kudos originally came from a Greek word used to express praise or glory or success on the battlefield. This word is often used informally to mean "congratulations." venerate (v.) venəˌrāt To respect deeply. belittle (v.) bəˈlidl To insult, put down. commend (v.) kəˈmend To praise. revere (v.) rəˈvir To respect deeply. ACTIVITY 25 Provide the word for the given definition or etymology: 1. the opposite of complimentary = _______________ 2. from the Latin for "to worship" (hint: it's not revere) = _______________ 3. sounds like it has to do with size and means "to insult" = _______________ 4. a praising word from ancient Greek = _______________ 5. to applaud or praise = _______________ LESSON 26 From Lazy to Lively The next time you feel your energy fading, use some of these words to spice things up, rather than just saying, "I'm tired." phlegmatic (adj.) flegˈmadik Apathetic, unemotional. On the morning of the SAT, the students walked into the classroom, one phlegmatic face after another. The bodily humor phlegm is the source of this word. The ancients believed that if you were too full of phlegm, you would feel sluggish. This word sometimes has a negative association. indolence (n.) indələnts Laziness. The summer months bred indolence in the city folk, with few setting foot outdoors unless it was really necessary. Dole comes from the Latin root for "pain," and in- means "without." Indolent is the adjective form; lethargic and languid are two common synonyms. vivacious (adj.) vəˈvāSHəs Lively and animated. She was vivacious one moment, lethargic the next, so quickly had the sedative taken effect. From the Latin for "long-lived, vigorous." Vivace is one of the fastest tempos in music. alacrity (n.) əˈlakrədē Cheerful promptness in response. torpid (adj.) tôrpəd Sluggish, lethargic. ebullient (n.) iˈbo lyənt Highly and vigorously enthusiastic. exuberant (n.) igˈzo b(ə) rənt Highly enthusiastic. ACTIVITY 26 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "O" if they are opposite, or "D" if they are different: 1. torpid and ebullient ______ 2. alacrity and indolence ______ 3. vivacious and phlegmatic ______ 4. exuberant and ebullient ______ LESSON 27 Hard at Work? Whether you are hard at work on this book or not, one of the following words will likely describe you. industrious (adj.) inˈdəstrēəs Hard-working and diligent. Most of the new hires were industrious, working till well past 7 p.m. This word comes from Latin for "diligence." The noun form—industry—can also mean "hard work." lackadaisical (adj.) lakəˈdāzək(ə)l Lazy and unenthusiastic. The new recruits were so lackadaisical that most of them didn't make it past the first week of boot camp. Lackaday, short for alack the day, was an expression used to express sorrow in the 1590s. feckless (adj.) fekləs Unmotivated, incompetent, irresponsible. Many of the feckless youth who had once gathered outside the mall were now grown up and working inside, some with great industry. This comes from the Scottish word feck, which is a shortening of the word effect. One who is feckless, then, doesn't have much effect. The word feck never quite took off in the United States. bustle (v.) bəsəl To move about actively. dispatch (n.) dəˈspaCH Speed at completing a task. celerity (n.) səˈlerədē Swiftness. assiduous (adj.) əˈsijo əs Working painstakingly to get a job done. ACTIVITY 27 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. With the end of the quarter approaching and one last chance to hit their sales goals, the telemarketers were even more _______________ than usual. 2. On the last day before vacation, the employees _______________ about the office looking busy but not actually getting anything done. 3. The messenger moved with _______________, hoping to deliver the telegram on time. 4. Jonas was _______________, and his attitude toward many things could be summed up by one word: blah. LESSON 28 Words About Words (PART 1) In this self-reflective lesson, we examine the potential of words themselves. palindrome (n.) palənˌdrōm A word or phrase that reads the same forward as it does backward, such as radar and kayak. The sentence "Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog" is a palindrome. From the Greek, palin- means "again/back" and dromos means "running." portmanteau (n.) pôrtˈmantō A word formed by parts of two other distinct words, such as smog, which consists of the sm from smoke + the og from fog. The word "electrocution" is a little-known portmanteau—a mash-up of the words "electricity" and "execution." The French verb porter ("to carry") and noun manteau ("mantle") refer to a suitcase consisting of two compartments. The simpler term for portmanteau words is "blend." brunch (n.) brən(t)SH A late-morning meal that has elements of both breakfast and lunch. A delicious brunch is served at the new restaurant. Brunch is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch (br from breakfast + unch from lunch). neologism (n.) nēˈäləˌjizəm A new word or expression. In the 1990s the word Internet was a neologism, though these days the term seems as though it has been around forever. From the root neo- for "new" and logos- for "word." Chillax and staycation are twenty-first-century neologisms that also happen to be portmanteaus. archaic (adj.) ärˈkāik Describing a very old word, typically no longer in use. barbarism (n.) bärbəˌrizəm A word that does not obey the rules of written language. tautology (n.) tôˈtäləjē A redundancy, essentially saying that A equals A. eponymous (n.) əˈpänəməs Named after a person. ACTIVITY 28 Write the word that matches each example: 1. it's the right thing to do, because the right thing is what we'll do _______________ 2. ain't _______________ 3. describing a sixteenth-century word no longer in use _______________ 4. the island of Victoria is named for the queen _______________ 5. racecar and rotor _______________ 6. this book is a real vocabathon _______________ LESSON 29 Words About Words (PART 2) bombastic (adj.) bämˈbastik Describing someone whose speech is inflated and self-important. The school superintendent carried on in his normal bombastic manner, puffing out his chest and intoning how each student was extremely privileged to belong to a historic and noble tradition. From the Old French for speech that is inflated and self-important. Fustian, a synonym—albeit an uncommon one—was also used to describe a type of cotton. cryptic (adj.) kriptik Intentionally vague or mysterious. When his friends asked if he'd visit while they were studying abroad, he answered cryptically, "You never know." From kryptikos, the Greek for "hidden." Though thesauruses list enigmatic and cryptic as synonyms, enigmatic simply means "mysterious" without the connotation of any intentional motive. turgid (adj.) tərjəd Describing writing that is bombastic and puffed up. The manager wrote long, turgid emails that contained little substance but conveyed to the recipient the manager's sense of self-importance. This word comes from the Latin for "to swell." Turgid can also describe physical swelling, as of body parts. lucid (adj.) lo səd Clear and easy to understand. oblique (adj.) əˈblēk Indirect (describing communication). limpid (adj.) limpid Very clear and easy to understand (referring to writing). sesquipedalian (n.) seskwəpəˈdālyən A person inclined to using very long words. ACTIVITY 29 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "O" if they are opposite, or "D" if they are different: 1. lucid and limpid ______ 2. turgid and cryptic ______ 3. bombastic and oblique ______ 4. sesquipedalian and limpid ______ LESSON 30 Where Did You Go to School? A range of words exists to describe levels of education and knowledge one might possess. Here are a few good ones to know. pedantic (adj.) pəˈdan(t)ik Overly fussy in one's concern for trivial academic knowledge. "Actually, the Battle of Hastings happened in the eleventh century," was a typical interjection of my pedantic friend Sebastian. This word comes from the Latin for "teacher." erudite (adj.) er(y)əˌdīt Displaying scholarly knowledge. The professor fit the erudite part well: a book of poetry in his tweed jacket pocket and a pair of thick glasses set low on the bridge of his nose. From the Latin for "to instruct." Erudite has a positive connotation, whereas pedantic has a negative one. pedagogue (n.) pedəˌgäg A teacher, typically a strict one. Mr. Harris was a true pedagogue, giving copious amounts of homework and never accepting a late assignment. Pedagogue comes from the Greek for "boy" and "guide." Today, pedagogue can refer to a teacher of both boys and girls. unlettered (adj.) ənˈledərd Illiterate. benighted (adj.) bəˈnīdəd Unenlightened. collegial (adj.) kəˈlēj(ē)əl Describing a warm chumminess between a group of associated people. eminent (adj.) emənənt Prominent, distinguished. ACTIVITY 30 Write the word that completes the sentence: 1. Mr. Ellis was more _______________ than _______________, since he had memorized a bunch of obscure facts that did not truly indicate deep learning. 2. The _______________ scholar was appointed chairman of the recently founded archeological society. 3. The principal had had enough administrative work and found himself back in the classroom in the role of _______________. 4. The atmosphere among the engineering team was _______________; everyone had a shared sense of purpose and was always eager to help others. 5. Under the repressive regime, the populace had remained _______________, totally out of touch with the rest of the world. LESSON 31 Mind Your Manners Behaving properly is important. But for those of us who choose not to, there are plenty of words to use. churlish (adj.) CHərliSH Intentionally rude. The man was habitually churlish and enjoyed driving slowly in the fast lane just to watch people's reactions. This comes from Old English to describe a peasant. A churl is a noun describing one who is rude and lacks manners. indiscreet (adj.) indəˈskrēt Drawing attention to actions or behavior that should remain private. Most people are not so indiscreet as to mention their digestive issues at the dinner table—then there's Bob. This comes from a Latin word meaning "indistinguishable." One who is discreet is careful not to draw attention to such actions. These days, people often say "TMI," meaning "too much information." This is usually a sign that the person sharing this information is being indiscreet. idiosyncrasy (n.) i-dē-ə-ˈsin-krə-sē A peculiar characteristic or temperament. Steve Jobs was known as a man with many an idiosyncrasy—but his peculiarities were indivisible from his genius. This word is a splendid mixture of a number of Greek roots, essentially meaning "one's own personal blending." etiquette (n.) edəkət Proper behavior and conduct. brusque (adj.) brəsk Short and to the point in a way that is considered rude. irascible (adj.) iˈrasəb(ə)l Easily angered. impolitic (adj.) imˈpäləˌtik Unwise. ACTIVITY 31 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "R" if they are related, or "NR" if they are not related: 1. idiosyncrasy and mannerism ______ 2. churlish and indiscreet ______ 3. brusque and impolitic ______ 4. etiquette and irascible ______ LESSON 32 Is It Clear? Some concepts are easy to understand. Others are recondite—like that very word. inscrutable (adj.) inˈskro dəb(ə)l Difficult, if not impossible, to understand. Though the text was billed as an introduction to physics, it was inscrutable to all but those with a physics degree. The scrut- comes from the Latin for "to search." The in- negates this root. This word is related to scrutinize, which means to examine carefully. esoteric (adj.) esəˈterik Describing knowledge that is intended for only a specific few. Tax codes can seem downright esoteric unless you've spent years studying the jargon. Comes from a Greek word meaning "part of the inner circle." This word not only refers to academic or intellectual pursuits but also to everyday things— for example, "Her meals are unique because she uses esoteric spices." currency (n.) kərənsē General use, acceptance, or prevalence. The notion that Pluto is no longer a planet still does not have currency in some circles. This comes from the Latin word for current (think flowing water) and was later used by John Locke to describe the flow of money. Currency has two distinct meanings, one which relates to money and the other which relates to how commonly accepted or used something is. abstruse (adj.) abˈstro s Abstract and difficult to grasp. pellucid (adj.) pəˈlo səd Extremely clear. recondite (adj.) rekənˌdīt Too obscure and deep to understand. arcane (adj.) ärˈkān Known by only a few. ACTIVITY 32 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "O" if they are opposite, or "D" if they are different: 1. abstruse and pellucid ______ 2. recondite and arcane ______ 3. currency and esoteric ______ 4. inscrutable and esoteric ______ LESSON 33 Words Describing Character While these words aren't necessarily the most complimentary, they might describe someone you know. philistine (n.) filəˌstēn A person who is hostile toward arts and culture. Paul was an outright philistine, claiming that looking at paintings is a waste of time. In the Old Testament, this word refers to the people of Philistia, who were enemies of the Israelites. A confrontation in the sixteenth century between university students and townspeople had the former describing the latter as lacking in culture and civilization, alluding to the biblical Philistines. ignoble (adj.) igˈnōbəl Having a dishonorable character. The villain was so ignoble that even though he owed his life to the heroine, he schemed to bring about her downfall. Comes from the French meaning "not honorable." Despicable and dastardly are two good synonyms. base (adj.) bās Contemptible, low-minded. When the defendant revealed that he had committed the crime solely for the money, the jury viewed his motive as base and ultimately found him guilty. This word is similar to the French word bas, which means "low." In this case, low refers to one's morals. contemptible (adj.) kənˈtem(p)təb(ə)l Despicable. vulgar (adj.) vəlgər Common in a cheap, tasteless way. wayward (adj.) wāwərd Difficult to control. uncultivated (adj.) ənˈkəltəˌvādəd Lacking education or refinement. ACTIVITY 33 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. He was not surprised that others called him a _______________— after all, he thought classical music was purely for snobs. 2. Those who knew him knew he was no angel, yet they were surprised at what a _______________ thing he had done. (3 possible answers) 3. The way in which the family flaunted their inheritance was _______________—did anyone really need to own three Bentleys? 4. His taste in fashion was _______________: A baggy sweater over gym shorts and tube socks was his usual attire. LESSON 34 Musical Words Music has given us some words that can apply to a broader context. Some important ones are presented here. crescendo (n.) krəˈSHenˌdō A gradual increase, or the point of greatest intensity or climax. Her resentment toward the governor reached a crescendo by midsummer, at which point she stepped down from her office. From the Italian for "increase," this word describes a musical passage that gets increasingly louder. coda (n.) kōdə The concluding part of something. The coda to the esteemed director's career was a 15-minute compilation of highlights from his many beloved films. The Italian for "tail" is the source of this word, and describes the last section of a composition, often musical. mellifluous (adj.) məˈliflo əs Sweet sounding. The middle movements of Mozart's piano concertos offer themes so mellifluous that it is easy to see why many regard him as divinely blessed. From the Latin for "flowing like honey," this word doesn't have a direct musical reference, though it usually refers to something very pleasant sounding. forte (adj.) ˈfôrˌtā, fôrt Loud in music. (n.) An area in which one excels (the noun version doesn't just broaden the definition [the way that crescendo does] but leads to a different use of the word) amplify (v.) ampləˌfī Increase the volume, get louder. virtuoso (n.) vərCHəˈwōsō A person very accomplished at a musical instrument. ACTIVITY 34 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. Vladimir Horowitz is regarded as the foremost piano _______________ of the twentieth century, able to play much of the classical repertoire with great emotional depth. 2. Music was never his _______________, though he was gifted at painting. 3. The soprano's _______________ voice enraptured the crowd. 4. As the deadline approached, the anxious chatter rose to a _______________. 5. The once-celebrated actor had an unfortunate _______________ to his career, being arrested numerous times. LESSON 35 Animal Words The animal kingdom has bestowed on us a large collection of descriptive vocabulary—words with meanings that often hark back to some physical trait or characteristic of various animals. dogged (adj.) dôgəd Persistent, even in the face of adversity. Had the detective not been so dogged, she would have likely missed the one extremely subtle clue that eventually broke the case wide open. In the 1300s, this word related to one of the more negative qualities of dogs. This word can be used both negatively (somebody doesn't know when to give up) or positively (somebody doesn't give up despite adversity). mulish (adj.) myo liSH Stubborn, obstinate. Jimmy becomes mulish as soon as his mother asks him to do any chores. Relating to a mule, which is the offspring of a donkey and a horse. badger (v.) bajər To harass and pester. Though Phyllis told her little brother he couldn't have the chocolate bar until the weekend, he continued to badger her about it. Possibly from Middle High German and French, meaning "badge" and "bold." This word is different from the others in this lesson because it refers to another animal. In this case, dogs were used to try to get a badger out of a cage, a low entertainment of the time. ape (v.) āp To imitate. crow (v.) krō To gloat loudly. slothful (adj.) ˈslôTHfəl Lazy. waspish (adj.) wäspiSH Easily angered. ACTIVITY 35 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. to harass and pester = _______________ 2. to imitate = _______________ 3. to gloat loudly = _______________ 4. lazy = _______________ 5. stubborn = _______________ LESSON 36 Words Describing Animals In the previous lesson, we looked at some words with animals at their roots. Here we present a range of adjectives that describe specific types of animal. bovine (adj.) bōvīn Describing a person who is slow and unintelligent. Each morning Hal would shuffle around his kitchen with a bovine expression on his face—until he had his morning coffee and snapped to life. From the Latin for "ox" or "cow." The bovine family includes not only cows, but also oxen, bison, sheep, buffalo, and goats. vulpine (adj.) vəlˌpīn Cleverly deceitful. The German general Erwin Rommel was vulpine indeed, outsmarting Allied commanders for years and earning the sobriquet "Desert Fox." From the Latin vulpinus, meaning "fox." elephantine (adj.) eləˈfan(t)ēn Enormous, massive. This unabridged dictionary is elephantine on two counts: It weighs over 20 pounds and contains over 100,000 words. From the Greek elephantinos. simian (adj.) simēən Relating to apes. ursine (adj.) ərˌsin Relating to bears. apian (adj.) ˈāpēən Relating to bees. avian (adj.) ˈāvēən Relating to birds. asinine (adj.) asəˌnīn Describing a donkey; slow-witted. ACTIVITY 36 Match the animal to its adjective: 1. elephant avian 2. bee asinine 3. ape bovine 4. fox ursine 5. donkey vulpine 6. bird apian 7. bear elephantine 8. cow simian LESSON 37 Religious Words (PART 1) These words are strongly connected to the Christian church but can also apply to a broader context—rather than being purely sacerdotal, which means "relating to priests." apostate (n.) əˈpäˌstāt A person who rejects or abandons a strongly held belief. In increasing numbers, on both the political left and right, apostates have come to label themselves as "centrists" or "independents." This word comes from the Greek for "a runaway slave." The noun form, apostasy, is also common. sanctimonious (adj.) saNG(k)təˈmōnēəs Pretending to be religious and holy, but doing so as a pretext to look down on others. The inquisitor pointed at the condemned and gave them a sanctimonious lecture about the importance of faith. From the Latin meaning "holy in character." Holier-than-thou is an informal way of saying sanctimonious. iconoclast (n.) īˈkänəˌklast One who defies convention in a striking fashion. Jackson Pollock is regarded as an iconoclast in the art world: he challenged the conventional notion of what it meant to paint, by hurling buckets of paint at a canvas. From French for "destroyer of images or icons." agnostic (n.) agˈnästik One who is uncertain whether there is a higher power. sacrilege (n.) sakrəlij Violation of something considered holy. inviolate (adj.) inˈvīələt Pure, not violated or profaned. catholic (adj.) kaTH(ə)lik Universal. ACTIVITY 37 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. Pablo questions whether there is any higher power and so has branded himself an _______________. 2. Tossing a holy book on the ground is often considered a _______________ because doing so is deemed highly disrespectful. 3. After his hometown football team had gone 10 years without making the playoffs, Chad became an _______________ and began following a winning team instead. 4. John Cage was a musical _______________, shocking the world when he released 4'33", a piece in which no music is played for exactly 4 minutes and 33 seconds. LESSON 38 Religious Words (PART 2) novitiate (n.) nōˈviSHēət A person new to a religious order, or any beginner in general. The ski novitiates gingerly made their way down the bunny slope, falling every few minutes. From the Latin for "novice." hagiography (n.) hagēˈägrəfē, Traditionally a biography of a saint, but today any writing that praises highly to the point of worship. Some accounts of star athletes' performances in the sports section read like hagiographies. This word is from the root hagio-, which means "holy," and -graphy, which means "writing." The adjective hagiographic, which isn't nearly as mellifluous as hagiography, is also somewhat common. syncretic (adj.) sinkrəˌtik Describing the fusion of several different beliefs. Her exercise regimen is syncretic, incorporating Pilates, yoga, weights, high- intensity cardio training, and meditation. From the Greek for "uniting." The noun syncretism is also somewhat common. desecrate (v.) desəˌkrāt To violate something considered holy. ecclesiastical (adj.) əˌklēzēˈastək(ə)l Relating to a church or the clergy. priggish (adj.) prigiSH Sanctimonious. anathema (n.) əˈnaTHəmə An official curse against a person; someone or something intensely disliked. ecumenical (adj.) ekyəˈmenək(ə)l Aimed at uniting many different churches. ACTIVITY 38 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "R" if they are related, or "NR" if they are not related: 1. anathema and ecumenical ______ 2. priggish and ecclesiastical ______ 3. hagiography and novitiate ______ 4. desecrate and syncretic ______ LESSON 39 Prefix Ex- Ex- is a common prefix meaning "out." Here are some words, a bit on the tougher side, with the ex- root. extenuate (v.) ikˈstenyəˌwāt To lessen the severity. He tried to blame his low exam score on a variety of extenuating circumstances, from a bout with the flu to a lost textbook. This word is from the Latin for "to make small." This verb is most often used in the phrase extenuating circumstances, as in the sample sentence. exonerate (v.) igˈzänəˌrāt To free from blame or wrongdoing. The DNA evidence surfaced 20 years after the crime, and the defendant was finally exonerated of all wrongdoing. From the Latin for "to remove the burden." A less common version of this word means "to release somebody from an obligation or duty." execrate (v.) eksəˌkrāt To express strong disapproval and loathing. The crowd execrated the opposing team's star player as he stepped up to bat, hissing and booing, and even throwing empty cups on the field. Another word that comes from Latin, this time meaning "to curse." expurgate (v.) ekspərˌgāt To remove objectionable material from written work. exude (v.) igˈzo d To ooze or flow slowly. expunge (v.) ikˈspənj To wipe out any trace. ACTIVITY 39 Complete the word for each definition: 1. to remove objectionable material from written work = ex_ur___ 2. to ooze or flow slowly = ex__d_ 3. to wipe out any trace = ex__ng__ 4. to lessen the severity = ex___nu___ 5. to free from blame = ex__er___ 6. to express strong disapproval and loathing = ex__cra__ LESSON 40 Commonly Confused Pairs (PART 1) Tread carefully with these very similar-sounding words. Note: Since the words on this list already look alike, we decided to forgo their etymology to avoid unnecessary confusion. flout vs. flaunt (verbs) flout, flônt Flout means "to disregard in a scornful manner." Flaunt means "to show off something in a very obvious manner." "Everybody rolls through stop signs," said Dmitri, once again flouting the rule—just as a police car pulled up behind him. Terry liked to flaunt his biceps, always finding an excuse to wear a short- sleeved T-shirt. discrete vs. discreet (adjectives) diˈskrēt (both) Discrete means "separated into distinct groups." Discreet means "not drawing attention to an activity that is generally kept private." Though both deal with stars, astronomy and astrology are considered discrete realms of knowledge. The new student raised his hand discreetly and, in a barely audible whisper, asked the teacher whether he could go to the bathroom. A good way to remember the difference between these two words is the t in discrete separates the two e's. affect (verb) vs. effect (noun) əˈfekt (both) Affect means "to cause something to happen." Effect means "result, outcome." The amount of sleep one receives each night affects one's productivity the following day. One effect of not getting enough sleep is a drop in productivity. venal vs. venial (adjectives) vēnl, vēnēəl Venal means "open to corruption or bribery." Venial means "forgivable or pardonable." The judge was revealed to be venal, accepting bribes from the defense for a lighter sentence. Driving 10 miles over the speed limit, while clearly illegal, is venial compared to driving 30 miles over the speed limit. ACTIVITY 40 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. Art and math are often treated as _______________ realms even though the two sometimes overlap. 2. The dictatorship was _______________, justice always a matter of bribing the right person. 3. Studying daily clearly has an _______________ on one's GPA. 4. Once she inserted earplugs, the noise below no longer _______________ her. LESSON 41 Commonly Confused Pairs (PART 2) complacent vs. complaisant (adjectives) kəmˈplās(ə)nt, kəm ˈplāsənt Complacent means "satisfied in the moment, not thinking of the future." Complaisant means "eager to please." After receiving straight A's, Carter became complacent and started turning his homework in late—by the next semester he had three C's. The normally complaisant Jenny flat out refused to do any more housework. emigrate vs. immigrate (verbs) eməˌgrāt, iməˌgrāt Emigrate means "to leave a country." Immigrate means "to enter another country." Her parents had initially emigrated from Russia to Germany, though eventually they ended up immigrating to the United States. allude vs. elude (verbs) əˈlo d, ēˈlo d Allude means "to reference something by not mentioning it specifically." Elude means "to evade capture." Fred alluded to the movie he was planning to watch this weekend, quoting: "In a galaxy far, far away." For three long weeks, the bank thieves eluded the authorities, until a helicopter spotted their hideout. censor vs. censure (verbs) sensər, sen(t)SHər Censor means "to remove the objectionable parts from something." Censure means "to criticize someone harshly." During the 1980s, profanity was censored on TV using a loud beep, so lip- readers were often left mortified. An independent committee censured the CEO for embezzling funds. ACTIVITY 41 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. The new nanny was _______________, eager to make sure the children were happy. 2. He had squandered his father's wealth, and for that he was _______________. 3. Given the ominous change in government, the family considered _______________ to Europe. 4. Throughout history, people have attempted to _______________ Shakespeare's work by removing the text referring to certain parts of the human anatomy. 5. Up by 10 runs in the last inning of the game, the team became _______________ and nearly ended up losing. 6. He struggled at trivia games because even when he knew the answer, it would often _______________ him. LESSON 42 Commonly Confused Pairs (PART 3) elicit (verb) vs. illicit (adjective) ēˈlisət, i(l)ˈlisit Elicit means "to draw out, usually a reaction." Illicit means "illegal." His puns, as terrible as they are, never fail to elicit a laugh from his friends. The illicit drug trade has intensified in recent years. flounder vs. founder (verbs) floundər, foundər Flounder means "to flail about, either literally or figuratively." Founder means "to sink, either literally or figuratively." The three young ducklings floundered in the mud as they tried to keep pace with their mother. The space team miscalculated the amount of energy needed to reach Mars, so the project foundered. prescribe vs. proscribe (verbs) prəˈskrīb, prōˈskrīb Prescribe means "to recommend, as a course of treatment." Proscribe means "to ban." The doctor prescribed rest and lots of ice for the patient with the broken arm. The books of James Joyce are proscribed in certain countries for their many references to bodily excretions. torturous vs. tortuous (adjectives) tôrCH(ə)rəs, tôrCH(o )əs Torturous means "extremely painful." Tortuous means "full of twists, winding." Everyone finds at least one genre of music so torturous that they'd rather plug their ears than listen to a single second of it. Though the distance from the base to the summit was only a mile, the ascent was so tortuous that the hikers took nearly nine hours to reach the top. ACTIVITY 42 Write the word that completes each sentence: 1. The start-up _______________ soon after its inception because it never figured out how to make money. 2. Were this sentence to carry on for an entire paragraph, full of twist and turns, unnecessary phrases, and the like, it would be _______________. 3. To minimize the number of on-field injuries, professional football has _______________ late tackles. 4. She had become so implacable over time that there was no way to _______________ even a modicum of sympathy. 5. For someone with a bad back, a 12-hour road trip would be _______________. LESSON 43 Annoying Words The lesson title says it all! irksome (adj.) ərksəm Annoying. His new roommate quickly became irksome as he told one bad joke after another. This comes from German, meaning "to annoy." Good synonyms to know are galling and exasperating. ingratiate (v.) inˈgrāSHēˌāt To try to win another's favor, often through flattery. Ricky tried to ingratiate himself with the other boys in his school, but many quickly grew tired of him complimenting them on their attire. From Latin and Italian, meaning "to seek favor." Someone who is ingratiating can often be annoying. cloying (adj.) kloiNG Overly sentimental to the point of being disgusting. The newlywed couple repelled many of their friends by calling each other cloying names like "honey-bunny" and "snuggle-bug." This word comes from the Middle English for "being in excess to the point of loathing." This word should be reserved for cases in which the sentimentality is so over the top as to be sickening. aggravate (v.) agrəˌvāt To make worse. vex (v.) veks To annoy. gall (v.) gôl To annoy. mawkish (adj.) môkiSH Overly sentimental and cloying. ACTIVITY 43 Mark "S" if the meanings of the two words are similar, "R" if they are related, or "NR" if they are not related: 1. mawkish and cloying ______ 2. gall and vex ______ 3. ingratiate and aggravate ______ LESSON 44 What Did You Call Me? There are many words that mean "to slander or say nasty things about a person." For some reason, these seem to outnumber the words that mean "to praise." libel (n.) lībəl Slander in writing. The celebrity tweeted false, hurtful things about her rival, and a month later was sued for libel. From Latin, describing a small legal book. Libel is typically used when referring to defamation in writing; slander is defamation in speech. besmirch (v.) besmirCH To dirty or hurt another's reputation. Just by being seen in public with the gang of criminals, Marty knew his reputation had been besmirched. A smirch is a dirty mark. Tarnish, blacken, and sully are three synonyms for besmirch. raillery (n.) rālərē Teasing. To his friends, their jeers were nothing more than raillery; to him they stung deeply. From the French for "to tease." Unlike all these other hurtful words, raillery refers to good-natured teasing. scurrilous (adj.) skərələs Using or given to coarse language. calumny (n.) kaləmnē Slander. vilify (v.) viləˌfī To say evil things about someone. impugn (v.) imˈpyo n To cast doubt on another's character and integrity. traduce (v.) trəˈd(y)o s To slander and cause disgrace. ACTIVITY 44 Provide the word for the given definition: 1. teasing = _______________ 2. to dirty or hurt another's reputation = _______________ 3. to cast doubt on another's character and integrity = _______________ 4. defame, slander = (2 synonyms) _______________ LESSON 45 Courtroom Words Courtroom lingo has given us many words that often apply to a broader context. verdict (n.) vərdikt A judgment, usually offered in a courtroom. After much deliberation, the verdict announced by the panel was that the director was looking for a quick buck and had compromised his standards when making the sequel to his previous blockbuster. From the Latin for "truth" and "to say." This word can also describe a general opinion. tort (n.) tôrt A wrongful act other than a breach of contract. The law professor focused on tort law, discussing with her students the many cases in which an individual had suffered injuries due to another's negligence. This word comes from Middle English for "injury." litigious (adj.) ləˈtijəs Inclined to sue others. The automobile company was highly litigious, claiming that other companies had copied its award-winning designs. From the Old French for "lawsuit." This word doesn't necessarily have to relate to speech but to any purported crime that ends up being tried in a court of law. acquit (v.) əˈkwit To declare not guilty in a trial. subpoena (n.) səˈpēnə A document summoning one to court. affidavit (n.) afəˈdāvit A written statement presented in court that is offered up under oath. exculpate (v.) ekskəlˌpāt To free f