adamant
not giving in; stubborn.
For example: Lilly was adamant in her belief that Sam was a genius at business.
antagonist
an opponent; one who opposes or competes.
For example. Since the congresswoman was adamant in opposing the nuclear power plant, the plant's owners regard her as their toughest antagonist.
amoral
lacking a moral sense; without principles.
For example. Wayne is so amoral that he doesn't even have the desire to be absolved of guilt for all the times he has lied, cheated, and stolen.
epitome
a perfect or typical example of general quality or type.
For example. The epitome of refreshment is drinking an ice-cold lemonade on a sizzling hot day.
animosity
bitter hostility.
For example. Hector feels such animosity toward his sister that he never says a single kind thing about her; he only maligns her.
malign
to make evil and often unture statements about; speak evil of.
for example. I'm tired of hearing the two candidates for governor malign each other with stupid insults.
curt
abrupt; rudely brief when speaking to somone.
For example. the fast-food manager trained workers to give plite, full answers to customers, not curt response.
demoralize
discourage; to lower the spirits of; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness of.
for example. Cara's refusal to my brother demoralized him to the point that for months he lacked the confidence to ask another woman out.
inclination
tendency; a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way; a leaning.
for example. That two-year-old has some irritating tendencies, such as her inclination to say no to everything.
irate
furious; very angry.
for example. If Kate got angry only occasionally, I could take her more seriously, but she's always irate about something or else.
retort
reply; to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way.
For example. When I told my parents I'd wash the supper dishes the next morning, my father retorted, 'Maybe we should serve you dinner in the mornings, too.'
wary
careful; cautious; on guard.
for example. I'm a little wary of people who, when they first meet me, treat me as if I'm their best friend.
deterrent
prevention; something that discourages or prevents a certain action.
for example. The fact that Beethoven was totally deaf by age 50 was not a deterrent to his composing at the age of 53 one of his most ambitious and beloved works, the Ninth Symphony.
infirmity
disability; a physical weakness or defect; ailment.
for example. Although Marie joked about her broken leg, it was an infirmity that kept her from work for a month.
infringe
interfere with; to intrude or trespass on; to go beyond the limits considered proper.
for example. Future innovations in technology, particularly on the Internet, may make it easier for the government to infringe on the privacy of citizens' computer recor
sparse
thin; distributed thinly; not thick or crowded.
for example. When the candidate for mayor saw the sparse turnout for his speech, he knew he had to do something to revitalize his campaign.
succinct
brief and clear; expressed clearly in a few words; to the point; concise.
for example. "now" is a succinct way of saying, "at this particular point in time.
allusion
reference; an indirect reference.
for example. After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of chocolate cake, he responded, "Is that an allusion to my weight?
altruistic
unselfish; unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others.
for example. altruistic people tend to place the public welfare above their own self-interest. In contrast, mercenary people will exploit anyone for a profit - they will even sell harmful product
appease
calm; to calm, especially by giving in to the demands of.
for example, the only thing that would appease the dead boy's parents was imprisonment of the drunk driver who had killed him.
arbitrary
impulsive; determined by personal judgement, not rule or reason; based on impulse.
for example. My boss judges performance in an arbitrary manner, praising or scolding according to his moods. And when he says, "Please stay a few minutes longer today," "a
assail
attack; to attack physically or vocally.
for example, The storm assailed us with hail and heavy rain. The two candidates continuously assailed each other with accusation of dishonesty.
banal
unoriginal; lacking originality; overused; commonplace.
for example. "You're special" probably appears on thousands of greeting cards, but when someone says it to you and means it, it never seems banal.
euphemism
term that doesn't offend; a mild or vague term used as a substitute for one considered offensive or unpleasant.
for example. Common euphemisms include "final resting place" for grave, "Intoxicated" for drunk, and "Powder room" for toilet.
mercenary
greedy; motivated only by financial gain.
for example, there have people mercenary enough to sell their own children for the right price.
taint
to damage; to stain the honor of someone or something.
for example, The involvement of organized crime has tainted many sports, including boxing and horse racing.
bicentennial
A two-hundredth anniversary.
for example. Our town is having big bicentennial parade exactly two hundred years after the day the town was founded.
path, -pathy
feeling, suffering.
for example. pathetic. empathic. sympathetic. telepathy.
pathetic
Arousing compassion or pity.
for example. The nursing class watched an audiovisual show about the horrible conditions in a mental insitution of the 1950s. The patient looked pathetic; clearly, they were suffering.
empathic
listening to provide emotional support for a speaker.
for example. When Rich's marriage fell apart, Ben's reaction was very empathic because he had also been rejected by a loved one.
sympathetic
Compassionate; Feeling or expressing sympathy.
for example. I have a lot of sympathy for parents of twins, triplets, quadruplets.
telepathy
communication between minds by some means other than sensory perception.
for example. Felicia and her mother claim to have powers of telepathy. They say that they know each other's feelings and thoughts without being told.
-hood
state of; state; condition.
for example. adulthood, womanhood, manhood, childhood
for example. Parenthood is for keeps. I think I'll wait.
pend
to hang.
for example. suspend. depend, dependent. pendulum. pendant.
for example. When I lost one of my diamond earrings, I had the other one made into a pendant to hang around my neck.
quart, quadr-
four; fourth.
for example. quarter. quartet. quadruple. quadruplet.
quadruple
To create four times as much.
for example. The ad said that I would quadruple my money in two months. But instead of making four times as much money, I lost what I had invested.
cycl, cyclo-
circle.
for example. unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, motorcycle. cyclone. cyclist
cyclone
a storm with heavy rains and high winds that blow in a circular pattern around an area of low atmospheric pressure.
for example. A cyclone travels in a circular motion.
calamity
risk. an event bringing great loss and misery.
for example. The survivors of the earthquake slowly rebuilt their homes and lives after the calamity.
conventional
usual. customary; ordinary.
for example. Jorge wanted to propose to Elena in the conventional manner, so in the middle of a restaurant, he got down on his knees and asked, "Will you marry me?
flagrant
obvious. shockingly obvious; outrageous.
for example. The use of campaign funds for the congressman's private business was a flagrant violation of the law.
persevere
keep going. to continue with an effort or plan despite difficulties.
for example. It was not easy to attend English classes while working at two jobs, but Nina perservered until she could speak English well.
rehabilitate
prepare for normal life. to restore to a normal life through therapy or education.
for example. My grandfather learned to walk, write, and speak again in a program that rehabilitates stroke victims.
venture
to take the risk of; dare.
for example. At tomorrow's staff meeting, I will venture to say what I really think and cross my fingers that I don't get fired.
turmoil
disorder. complete confusion; uproar.
for example. Without a teacher, the sixth-grade class was in turmoil, until the principle entered the room and the students quickly came to order.
ponder
to consider carefully; think deeply about.
for example. Too many people have a child without taking time to ponder parenthood. They give less thought to having a baby than to buying a sofa.
enigma
a puzzle; A mystery or puzzle.
For example. Science does not have enough evidence to solve the enigma of whether or not there is other intelligent life in the universe.
orient
to locate; to determine one's location or direction; to locate in relation to a direction.
For example. The positions of stars help sailors orient themselves on the open sea.
concurrent
occurring at the same time; happening or existing at the same time; simultaneous
For example. This summer, local children can sign up for art or music lessons for a nominal fee of $3. It's impossible to take both, through, since the classes will be concur
decipher
to figure out.
For example. Why do contracts have to use language that's so difficult to decipher?
recession
an economic setback; a temporary decline in business.
For example. When Ms. Howe was interviewed for the job of store manager, the regional manager asked her a question about a hypothetical situation. "Imagine that our business is in a recession," he said
confiscate
to take possession of; to seize with authority; legally take possession of.
For example. The small print on the Bryants' mortgage stated that if they should default on payments, the bank had the right to confiscate their house.
nominal
very little; slight; very small compared with what might be expected.
For example. Except for a nominal registration fee, the camp for needy children is entirely free.
hypothetical
imaginary; supposed for the sake of argument or examination; theoretical.
For example. Law schools hold pretend court sessions with hypothetical cases so that students can practice their skills.
implausible
unbelievable; difficult to believe; unlikely
for example. Although it seems implausible, the seemingly dead desert really does blossom after a rainstorm.
incoherent
unclear; unable to speak in an orderly, logical way.
For example. My sister talks a lot in her sleep, but she's so incoherent then that we can never figure out what she's saying. My brother was so upset that he was incoherent. It wasn't until he calmed do
intercede
to plead for someone; to make a request or plead on behalf of someone else.
for example. Inez's parents refused to come to her wedding until her brother interceded and persuaded them to come after all.
sanctuary
a shelter; a place of safety, protection, or relief.
for example. When the houseful of children becomes too noisy, Ned finds the laundry room to be a sanctuary, a place where he can read in quiet.
suffice
to be adequate; to be good enough.
for example. The amount of research you have done may suffice for a high-school term paper, but not for a college one.
degenerate
to worsen; deteriorate.
for example. When I don't have company, my apartment tends to degenerate into a jumble of papers, clothes, and school supplies.
blatant
unmistakable. very obvious, often offesively so.
for example. The F's and D's on my brother's report card are blatant evidence of how little he has studied this term.
blight
something that harms. something that weakens, damages, or destroys.
for example. Child abuse is an awful blight on the physical and mental health of our youth.
contrive
to think up. to plan cleverly; think up.
for example. Jill has to contrive a way to get a day off from work for her friend's wedding. She's already used up her vacation time.
garble
to jumble. to mixe up or confuse (as a story or message; scramle.
for example. "At least I know you aren't guilty of plagiarism." said the teacher. "Nobody else would have garbled the report so badly that it's impossible to follow.
gaunt
very thin. thin and bony.
for example. The little girl was so gaunt after her illness that her parents carefully contrived fattening meals that were sure to arouse her appetite.
gloat
to be overly self-satisfied. to feel or express delight or self-satisfaction, often spitefully.
for example. Willie is a plight on our school. Not only does he start fights with opposing players on the basketball court, but he also gloats after he's bench
immaculate
spotless. perfectly clean.
for example. The living room looked immaculate except for a lump under the carpet, a blatant sign that my son had taken a shortcut in cleaning up.
plagiarism
the stealing of ideas. using someone else's writings and ideas as one's own.
for example. Mark Twain joked that charges of plagiarism were ridiculous because no one can be completely original. He wrote, "We mortals can't create - we can only copy.
qualm
a guilty feeling. an uneasy feeling about how right or proper a particular action is.
for example. Without a qualm, he gave me a F, which ruined my average and demoralized me for the rest of year.
retaliate
to take revenge. to return an injury for an injury; pay back.
for example. All of us students would imagine ways to get even with him, but we were too afraid to retaliate.
claim, clam
call; cry out.
for example. acclaim; exclaim; exclamation; proclaim; proclamation.
for example. In 2001, American theater critics acclaimed The Producer, which won twelve Tony Awards, as the best musical of the year.
exclaim
for example. The exclamation point emphasize passionate, sudden, and surprised outcries, such as "Aha!" and "That hurts!"
for example. Little Jesse loudly exclaimed that his father was the smartest man on the block.
proclamation
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation freeing the slaves. But it would be almost one hundred years after his announcement before real efforts were made to integrate black people into society's mainstream.
fin
end.
for example. final; finale; finalist.
for example. "Oh! Ah!" the crowd exclaimed, enjoying the spectacular five-minute finale that closed the Fourth of July fireworks display.
finalist
There were only two finalists in the last session of the talent contest, and both were country singers.
flex, flect
bend.
for example. flexible; inflexible; reflect; genuflect.
for example. I looked down and watched the doctor tap my knee to see if its reflect was normal.
genuflect
for example. When they enter church, Catholics genuflect - that is, they bend one knee, as a sign of reverence.
forc, fort
strong.
for example. forceful; forcibly; fortify; effort
for example. The burglar forcibly entered the home by breaking the kitchen window.
hum
having to do with people.
for example. humanly; humane; humanity; humanitarian.
for example. The treatment here is not humane. We want to be treated like people, not objects.
pater, patri
father.
for example. paternity; paternal; patriotism; patricide.
For example. The jury found the disturbed young man, who had shot his father, guilty of patricide.
paternity
Mike just became father, so he is taking six months' paternity leave to help care for the baby.
paternal
My supervisor, Mr. Kane, is paternal. He enforces the rules in a fatherly way - firmly but kindly.
biorhythm
A biorhythm is any cycle of periodic changes in life, such as daily changes in body temperature.
patriotism
Patriotism was so strong that the soldiers willingly risked their lives to defend their fatherland.
semi
partly; half.
for example. semiskilled; semiconscious.
for example.
intermittent
irregular; off-and-on; starting and stopping from time to time.
for example. Intermittent rain kept interrupting the ballgame.
devastate
to upset greatly; overwhelm.
for example. As Leo explained a failed business deal that had once devastated him, he digressed into the even more interesting tale of his romance with Molly, his business partner.
indispensable
needed; necessary.
for example. A home computer and a telephone are indispensable tools for many self-employed people.
squander
to misuse; to waste; spend or use foolishly.
for example. Duane feels he squandered too many years in inactivity, so now he welcomes the rigors of an exercise program.
digress
to get off the subject; to turn aside, or stray especially from the main topic in speaking or writing.
for example. Because our history teacher loved to gab, we often could get him to digress from the lesson to talk about school athletics or school politi
succumb
to yield; to give in; stop resisting.
for example. Once the suspect was arrested, he quickly succumbed and confessed to stealing the car stereo.
curtail
to shorten; to cut short or reduce.
for example. The man on the corner offered to sell me a watch, but he quickly curtailed his sales pitch when he saw a police officer approaching.
demise
dying. death.
for example. The cynics in town said that Joyce Lester's sorrow over her husband's demise was much less than her joy in getting the money from his insurance policy.
revulsion
hatred. great disgust or distate.
for example. Although everything about the Nazis filled the Dutch spy with revulsion, his covert assignment was to make friends with top Nazi scientists. He had few qualms about faking such friendships.
virile
manly; masculine. having attractive male qualities.
for example. Young men who are bullies usually think of themselves as virile, but a benefactor of the weak is far more manly than someone who takes advantage of weakness.
abstain
to refrain. to deny oneself. to hold oneself back from something.
for example. Gail didn't abstain from smoking cigarettes at the office until her employer made no smoking mandatory. Keeping her job was a very good incentive to get her to quit.
affiliate
to join. to associate.
for example. My uncle decided to splurge and affiliate with a country club because golf is his favorite diversion.
for example. Jeanne believes deeply in God and is affiliate with a church.
agnostic
a person who believes we cannot know whether or not there is a God.
for example. Some people think that since Stan is an agnostic, he must be amoral. In fact, he recently found a benevolent society at work to raise money for disabled children in the area.
aspire
to strongly desire; to be ambitious to do something or to get something.
for example. Because my father aspires to make enough money to send his children to college, he's working hard to make his auto repair shop as lucrative as possible.
benevolent
charitable.
for example. In 1878, William Booth founded a benevolent association to help the poor of London. He called it the Salvation Army.
deficit
a shortage; a lack in amount.
for example. People who should be watching their expenses create unnecessary deficit in their budgets by squandering money on unimportant gifts.
mandatory
requried.
for example. An entrance fee wasn't mandatory, but a sign at the museum entrance suggested that visitors make a donation.
for example. She complains that exchanging presents at Christmas is practically mandatory, whether or not one believes in t
diversion
a recreation. an amusement or passtime; anything that relaxes or amuses.
for example. He prefers the conventional way of celebrating holidays. Children enjoy the customary diversions that are connected with the holidays.
charisma
charm; personal appeal; personal magnetism; the quality of a leader which captures great popular devotion.
for example. Mahatma Gandhi's charisma and vision inspired millions of fellow Indians to join him enthusiastically in the quest for peaceful solutio
contend
to declare; claim; affirm. to state to be so.
for example. "This womam contends that she was here before you," said the supermarket checkout clerk, "Is it her turn now?
conversely
in contrast; in an opposite manner; in an altogether different way.
for example. Judy and Martin Reed exemplify the old saying "opposites attract." An extrovert, Judy chooses work that brings her into constant contact with others. Conversely, Marty prefer
extrovert
a social person. an outgoing, social person.
for example. Nancy is an extrovert by nature, but since she's become depressed, she has avoid other people.
poignant
touching. affecting the emotions. emotionally moving.
for example. At the airpoirt, I was really moved by the poignant reunion of family members who have been seperated for years.
traumatic
upsetting. cause painful emotions, with possible long-lasting psychological effects.
for example. Ever since the traumatic experience of her finding her twelve-year-old son dead from a drug overdose, Sophie has been a strong proponent of mandatory drug ed
flippant
rude. disrespectul and not serious enough.
for example. The waitresses in our local diner are prone to be funny and not always polite. If a customer says, "I'm ready to order now," he may get a flippant response such as, "And I'm ready to retire, but you
impasse
a deadlock. dead end. a situation with no way out.
for example. My perception of the situation is that talks between factory management and union officials reached an impasse because neither sides would compromise on salaries. In such situation, flexibili
relentless
nonstop. persistent. continuous.
for example. Abby could put up with occasional kidding, but her brother's teasing was often relentless, going on for weeks at a time. Sick of it all, she finally planned a reprisal that would embarrass him in front of his
rationale
an explanation. logical basis. the underlying reason for something.
for example. Do you plan a reprisal, vowing to sabotage their summer plans because they've ruined yours? Or do you explain the rationale behind your request, so that your parents will und
congenial
sociable. friendly. agreeable or pleasant in character.
for example. Because Wade is so congenial and easy to talk to, we established a warm rapport the first day we met.
perception
a view. impression. insight or understanding through observation.
for example. Floyd's perception of human nature is strongly colored by some bad experiences. He thinks everyone is basically selfish.
cor, cour
heart.
for example. courageous, discourage, cordial.
for example. I felt truly welcomed by my cordial hosts. Their kindness and generosity were heartfelt.
di-, du-
two. double.
for example. divorce, dilemma, duplicate, duet.
For example. At age 24, Gina is facing a major dilemma. Florence and I felt foolish when we sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a duet and forgot the words halfway through.
-dom
condition. state of being.
for example. stardom, boredom, wisdom
for example. A few actors achieve overnight success, but for most, the road to stardom is long and difficult. One sure way to put my husband into a deep state of boredom is to take him with
-fy
make. cause to be or become.
for example. liquefy, magnify, unify, intensify, simplify.
for example. First liquefy the ice cream with heat. Then mix in the strawberry jam.
il-, im-
not.
for example. illegal, immature, immobile, impractical.
for example. To keep the accident victim immobile, the paramedics tied her to a stretcher. She suffers from illogical but intense fear of bridges and airplanes.
-ish
like. resembling. characteristic of.
for example. devilish, stylish, boyish, foolish.
for example. Despite her boyish hairdo, Paula looks very feminine. My devilish brother once videotaped me huffing and buffing my way through aerobics, and now he shows t
magni, magn
large, great.
for example. magnify, magnificent, magnate.
for example. a magnifying glass. oil magnate John D. Rockefeller. The apartment the realtor showed us was magnificent, but it was impractical for us.
phob-
fear.
for example. phobia, phobic, acrophobia, agoraphobia, claustrophobia.
for example. Marilyn's mother has developed agoraphobia to the point that she is afraid even of going to the mailbox at the end of the driveway.
psych-, psycho-
mind. mental process
for example. psychiatrist, psychoactive, psychotherapy, psychoanalyst.
for example. A psychoactive drug is one that affects mental processes.
benign
kindhearted, kindly, gentle.
for example. Gorilla mothers, usually loving and benign, become abusive toward their babies when caged with them.
blase
unexcited, unexcited or bored about something alreadly experienced repeatedly.
for example. Because this was my first interview assignment, I was far from blase about it. Instead, I was both excited and scared.
condescend
to lower oneself; to do something one feels is beneath oneself.
for example. Although everyone else in the office took turns making coffee, Bill would not condescend to perform "such a lowly task.
glib
smooth. characterized by a smooth, easy manner of speaking that often suggests insincerity or thoughtfulness.
for example. She found it glib and insincere.
for example. At first Joanne thought Barry was too glib, that his smooth talk was all show.
haughty
snobbish. arrognat. proud of one's appearance or accomplishments to the point of looking down on others.
for example. After being promoted to manager, Gil was haughty with his old office buddies, saying he now had more important things to do than grab wit
redundant
repetitious. wordy or needlessly repetitive.
for example. The teacher wrote "redundant" in several spots in the essay where Eric had repeated a point or used extra, unneeded words.
comprise
to be made up of, to consist of.
for example. Saliva comprises about sixty ingredients, including materials that help repair tooth enamel.
The scenery crew for the summer theatre comprised three artists and a set designer.
averse
having a feeling of dislike or distaste for something.
for example. I'm averse to speaking in public because I don't enjoy making a fool of myself.
detract
to take away. to lessen what is admirable or worthwhile about something.
for example. People talking in a movie theater greatly detract from the enjoyment of watching a film.
disdain
disrespect; scorn; an attitude or feeling of contempt.
for example. Vinnie's repeated boasts about his muscle-building backfired. They caused his date looked at him with distain, not admiration.
divulge
to reveal; make known.
for example. Never trust Esta with a secret. She'll divulge it the minute you turn your back.
elation
happiness. a feeling of great joy or pride.
for example. The principal shouted with elation when the school team scored the winning touchdown.
endow
to equip. to provide with a talent or quality.
for example. The American water shrew is endowed with feet that have air pockets, enabling the small animal to walk on water.
expulsion
being forced out. the act or condition of being forced to leave.
for example. When someone divulged to a counselor that a certain student was selling drugs, an investigation began that led to that student's expulsion from school.
mortify
to shame. to humiliate or embarass.
for example. The reporter was mortified when he learned that he had delivered much of his news story facing away from the operating TV camera.
nullify
to cancel. to make legally ineffective.
for example. The results of the mayoral election was nullified after the townpeople found evidence of voting fraud.
ominous
threatening. threatening harm or evil; menacing.
for example. Because of the dark, ominou clouds, we canceled the softball game.
cursory
quick. done quickly and without attention to detail.
for example. Because James had to work late, he had only enough time to give his apartment a cursory cleaning before his parents arrived.
improvise
to invent. to compose, perform, or provide without preparation.
for example. Proud of his ability to create new dishes, Franco tended to shun cook-books. He preferred to improvise meals using whatever ingredients happened to be on hand.
simulate
to imitate. to act or look like.
for example. To make his story credible, he had scratched his knee with rock to simulate an injury from a fall.
deviate
to depart. to turn aside or stray, as from a path, direction, or standard.
for example. Della wanted to be a cheerleader, but she willingly deviated from that goal when she was designated class mascot and got to wear a polar bear costume to all the games.
interim
meantime. the period of time in between.
for example. In seventh grade, I looked upon girls with great disdain. Then in the interim between seventh and eighth grades, my latent interest in them suddenly surfaced.
complacent
self-satisfied; feeling too much satisfaction with oneself or one's accomplishments.
for example. Other teachers became complacent about their work and did only cursory lesson preparation.
deplete
to use up.
for example. Lynn begged the bank to waive the overdraft charge of thirty dollars, telling them that it would entirely deplete her savings.
empathy
a sympathetic understanding. the ability to share in someone else's feelings and thoughts.
for example. It was the consensus of his classmates that he was the student endowed with the most empathy for other people.
menial
unskilled. no requiring special skills or higher intellectual abilities.
for example. Victor seems to think my summer job delivering pizza is menial work, but I've found that it requires some skills.
niche
a suitable place. an activity or situation especially suited to a person.
for example. My mother could have stayed in her comfortable niche of secretarial pool, but she wanted to transcend the limits of that job and become an executive herself.
waive
to give up. do without. to willingly give up (as a claim, privilege, or right.
for example. The defendant decided to waive his right to an attorney and, instead, speak for himself in court. The school waived the requirement that she take high school algeb
bizarre
odd; strange; dramatically unusual, as in manner or appearance.
for example. It's bad enough your clothing looks so bizarre, but do you have to mortify me and flaunt it in front of all my friends?
conducive
favorable. tending to promote or bring about.
for example. The joking at today's staff meeting wasn't conducive to finding a way to alleviate the town's parking problem. No one could think of a viable plan to increase the number of parking spaces.
falter
to hesitate. to act or speak with uncertainty.
for example. When a reporter asked Senator Drake a difficult question, the senator faltered for a moment.
flaunt
to exhibit. to show off (something.
for example. The Stewarts flaunt every new thing they buy in front of their poor relatives.
for example. Lucas believed that the only way he could get a date was to flaunt his wealth by driving expensive sports cars.
frenzy
an excited condition. a wild burst of excited feelings or actions.
for example. Once, in a frenzy of anger, I shouted this paradox: "You're always the same - always changing your mind!
gist
the main idea. the main point or essential part of a matter. central idea.
for example. We asked Alex to skip the details and get right to the gist of the argument.
hamper
to resist. to limit, interfere with, or restrict.
for example. Since ordinary clothes may hamper movement, sweat suits and leotards are recommended for the exercise class.
paradox
a simple statement. a statement that seems contradictory yet may be true.
for example. I reminded her of the paradox "No decision is also a decision." Remember that well-known paradox---no news is good news.
repertoire
a variety of skills. a range or collection or skills or accomplishments.
for example. Al Pacino's repertoire includes both modern dramas and Shakespearean plays. It's important to have a repertoire of study strategies from which to choose.
viable
practical. workable; capable of being successful or effective.
for example. Many drama students will probably end up in other careers, but I contend Georgia is talented enough to build a viable career in show business.
aster-, astro
star; outer space.
for example. aster, asterisk, astrologer, astronomy, astronaunt.
for example. The aster is a lovely flower named for its starlike shape. Astrologers claim to interpret the influence of the stars and planets on our lives.
contra-
against; contrasting; opposite.
for example. contrary, contrast, contradict, contraindication.
for example. Young children go through a stage in which they contradict everything a parent says.
-gamy
marriage.
for example. monogamy, bigamy. polygamy, exogamy.
For example. Monogamy doesn't stop people from having more than one husband or wife. In only requires them to have one at a time.
geo-
earth, geography.
for example. geography, geographic, geophysics, geology, geochemistry.
In geography class, we also learned about customs. For example, in some African nations, exogamy, or marrying outside the tribe, is not allowed and can result in expu
mis-
badly, wrong.
for example. misbehave, misrepresent, misplace.
for example. The telephone caller misrepresented herself. She said she was doing a survey, but she really wanted to sell me life insurance.
omni-
all; everywhere
for example. omnipotent, omnipresent, omnivorous.
for example. Omnivorous dinosaurs ate all kinds of food. Poverty is omnipresent in large cities in India.
pop
people.
for example. populous, popular, populate.
for example. In 1770, the U.S. was not very populous. In order to populate the West, the government gave free land to people who would build on it.
rect
straight.
for example. erect, rectangle, direct.
for example. The kindergartners were asked to draw a rectangle, but several made a mistake and drew a circle instead.
the, theo-
a god or God.
for example. theology, theologian, monotheism, pantheist.
for example. John Wesley was the eighteenth-century British theologian who founded Methodism.
Pantheists believe that God is not a personality but an omnipresent force of nature, pres
devoid
devoid of. without. completely lacking.
for example. Sometimes Carl is totally devoid of common sense.
The French fries were so thin, dry, and devoid of taste that they seemed like toothpicks.
implore
to urge. to beg. to plead.
infuriate
to anger greatly.
for example. The people I love most can infuriate me the most.
There used to be little that angered my father, but since he got laid off, it seems that everything we kids do infuriates him.
intimidate
to scare. to make timid or afraid. to frighten.
for example. I think Marvin only pretends to look down on the weightlifters in school. He sneers at them to hide the fact that they intimidate him.
introvert
a shy or inwardly directed person.
for example. Pearl is a very outgoing person, but her boyfriend Larry is such an introvert that he seldom socializes at all.
jeopardize
to put in danger. to endanger. to put at risk of loss or injury.
for example. Molly is so clumsy that she jeopardizes every fragile item she touches. Whatever she picks up is liable to get broken.
sibling
a sister or brother.
for example. I've never met siblings who are less alike than Cal and his sisters.
smug
too self-satisfied. overly pleased with one's own cleverness, goodness, etc.
sneer
sneer at. to show or express contempt or ridicule.
for example. Janice is terrific with little children. She never sneers at them.
vivacious
peppy. lively. full of life and enthusiasm.
for example. You may call Linda charming and vivacious, but to me, she is just a chatterbox. My father is such a vivacious host that he makes his guests feel bright and lively too.
peppy
Someone or something that is peppy is lively and full of energy.
for example. At the end of every day, jot down a brief note on how peppy or tired you felt.
condole
to excuse. to forgive. to overlook.
for example. Teachers may overlook it when you're three minutes late. But they are not going to condole your walking into class a half hour late.
contemplate
to consider. to think about seriously.
for example. From time to time, I contemplate attending business school, but so far I've made no firm decision.
feign
to fake. to pretend. to give a false show of.
for example. The runner-up feigns happiness for the winner, despite the fact that she is quite devoid of happiness at the moment.
furtive
secret. sneaky. done or behaving so as not to be noticed.
for example. The people on the elevator didn't want to stare at the patch on my eye, but several took furtive glances.
precedent
a model. anything that may serve as an example in dealing with later similar circumstances.
We can't set a bad precedent by letting a shoplifter go, as if we condoned such crimes.
punitive
punishing. giving or involving punishment.
It simply isn't feasible to let you walk away. Unfortunately, we have no choice but to take punitive action.