Post on 29-Jan-2018
transcript
ADROIT
(adj.) skillful. Expert in the use of hands or mind
Synonyms: clever; dexterous
Many rodeo performers are adroit at twirling a rope
while on horseback.
AMICABLE
(adj.) peaceable, friendly
Traditionally, parties turn to the court system when
they cannot come to an amicable solution by
themselves.
AVERSE
(adj.) having deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling
You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you
are averse to strenuous exercise.
BELLIGERENT
(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive
I did not expect such a belligerent answer to my
request for directions.
BENEVOLENT
(adj.) kindly, charitable
Synonyms: benign, well-meaning
The newcomers had nothing but benevolent feelings
toward all their neighbors.
CURSORY
(adj.) hasty, not thorough
Synonym: quick
The student gave only a cursory glance at the
directions before writing the essay. This is why she
got a bad grade.
DUPLICITY
(n.) treachery, deceitfulness
Synonym: double-dealing
We found it difficult to believe that our good friend
could be capable of such duplicity.
EXTOL
(v.) to praise extravagantly
Synonym: glorify
Many stories and plays have been written that extol
the heroic deeds of Joan of Arc.
My mother makes me so angry when she extols the
virtues of my sister to me.
FEASIBLE
(adj.) possible, able to be done
Synonym: workable, viable
Our city needs to develop a feasible plan of action for
dealing with storms and other emergencies.
GRIMACE
(n.) a wry face, facial distortion synonym: pained
expression
(v.) to make a wry face (painful expression)
Most people grimace at the mere sound of the
dentist’s drill.
The grimace of the refugee in the photograph reveals
the pain of homelessness.
HOLOCAUST
(n.) a large scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast
slaughter; a burnt offering
Synonym: conflagration, devistation, annihilation
Elie Weisel was the first person to use the word
holocaust to describe the genocide of WWII.
IMPERVIOUS
(adj.) not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage
or entrance
Synonyms: impenetrable, resistant
It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic
cover that is impervious to moisture.
IMPETUS
(n.) a moving force, impulse, stimulus
Synonyms: impulse, spur
The coming of winter gave a new impetus to the
appeals for food and clothing for needy families .
JEOPARDY
(n.) danger
Synonyms: risk, hazard, peril
Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake
can put an entire expedition in serious jeopardy.
METICULOUS
(adj.) extremely careful; particular about details
Synonyms: fastidious, fussy
If you have a full time job outside the home, you may
find it exceedingly difficult to be a meticulous
housekeeper.
NOSTALGIA
(n.) a longing for something past; homesickness
Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can
bring on a vague sense of nostalgia for days gone
by and friends no longer near.
QUINTESSENCE
(n.) the purest essence or form of something; the most
typical example
Synonyms: paragon, exemplar
Risking one’s own life to save the lives of others is
considered the quintessence of selfless valor.
RETROGRESS
(v.) to move backward; to return to an earlier
condition.
Synonyms: revert, degenerate, decline
In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion
retrogress into a state of barbarism and anarchy.
SCRUTINIZE
(v.) to examine closely.
Synonyms: inspect, pore over
Lawyers are paid to scrutinize legal papers and
explain the fine print to their clients.
TEPID
(adj.) lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an
absence of interest
Synonyms: insipid, half-hearted
A cup of tepid tea will not warm you up on a chilly
morning.