Elements of Elements of WritingWriting

Week Week 99

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Acrimonious Acrimonious

Adj. Stinging; causticAdj. Stinging; caustic

The acrimonious comment made the The acrimonious comment made the student cry. The teacher’s notes on student cry. The teacher’s notes on the paper hurt her feelings; maybe the paper hurt her feelings; maybe he shouldn’t have written, This is the he shouldn’t have written, This is the worst writing I’ve ever read” on her worst writing I’ve ever read” on her paper. paper.

AudacityAudacity

Noun. Boldness, often foolishly boldNoun. Boldness, often foolishly bold

The teacher booted the student from The teacher booted the student from class for his outrageous audacity. He class for his outrageous audacity. He probably shouldn’t have jumped up probably shouldn’t have jumped up and exclaimed, “Prof. Glubdubdrip and exclaimed, “Prof. Glubdubdrip sucks! And Gilligan’s Island sucks sucks! And Gilligan’s Island sucks even more!”even more!”

Choleric Choleric

Adj. hot-tempered; easily angered Adj. hot-tempered; easily angered

The choleric Prof. Glubdubdrip kicked The choleric Prof. Glubdubdrip kicked the sudent out of class and assigned the sudent out of class and assigned an extra 12 hours of homework. Hes an extra 12 hours of homework. Hes a very cranky guy. a very cranky guy.

Craven Craven

Adj. CowardlyAdj. Cowardly

The craven warriors ran away from The craven warriors ran away from the dragon. Only Beowulf and one the dragon. Only Beowulf and one other brave fighter stayed the rest other brave fighter stayed the rest ran away like cowardly mice!ran away like cowardly mice!

DissipateDissipate

Verb. To use up recklessly; to Verb. To use up recklessly; to squander; to slowly disappear squander; to slowly disappear

The treasury dissipated as Mary-The treasury dissipated as Mary-Antoinette spent lavish and wasteful Antoinette spent lavish and wasteful amount of money on banquets balls amount of money on banquets balls and gold-plated croquette sets. No and gold-plated croquette sets. No really, she did! really, she did!

Evince Evince

Verb. To show clearly; to proveVerb. To show clearly; to prove

The lawyer was able to evince the The lawyer was able to evince the accused man’s guilt by finding the accused man’s guilt by finding the murder weapon and traces of his murder weapon and traces of his DNA on the knife. He’ll be convicted DNA on the knife. He’ll be convicted and hung.and hung.

Fancied Fancied

Adj. imagined or unrealAdj. imagined or unreal

Verb. To imagine or pretendVerb. To imagine or pretend

The girl fancied herself a princess. The girl fancied herself a princess. But she really wasnt.But she really wasnt.

Labyrinth Labyrinth

Noun. A mazeNoun. A maze

It took the family two hours to find It took the family two hours to find their way out of the maize maze. their way out of the maize maze. They couldn’t get out of their They couldn’t get out of their because of all the dead ends. because of all the dead ends.

Muddle Muddle

Verb. To confuseVerb. To confuse

I hope these errors don’t muddle you I hope these errors don’t muddle you to much. They can get confusing. to much. They can get confusing.

Mundane Mundane

Adj. Worldly as opposed to spiritual; Adj. Worldly as opposed to spiritual; ordinaryordinary

Harry Potter left the wizarding world Harry Potter left the wizarding world and returned to the dull mundane and returned to the dull mundane world of Privit Drive. world of Privit Drive.

Nebulous Nebulous

Eagle Nebula

Orion Nebula

Adj. Cloudy; hazyAdj. Cloudy; hazy

The nebulous child The nebulous child starred off into starred off into space. A cloudy space. A cloudy look shrouded her look shrouded her face as her mind face as her mind wandered off to wandered off to some hazy location. some hazy location.

Ogle Ogle

Verb. To glance coquettishly at; to Verb. To glance coquettishly at; to “check out”“check out”

Billy went to the beach and ogled at Billy went to the beach and ogled at all the ladies They responded by all the ladies They responded by kicking dirt in his face. kicking dirt in his face.

Privy Privy

Adj. secret; hidden; not publicAdj. secret; hidden; not public

Noun. An outhouseNoun. An outhouse

Only three people were privy to the Only three people were privy to the great secret. Noone else knew what great secret. Noone else knew what was going on.was going on.

Rectify Rectify

Verb. To remedy or set right; to Verb. To remedy or set right; to correctcorrect

After starting the fight, suzie After starting the fight, suzie attempted to rectify the situation by attempted to rectify the situation by apologizing to her brother, but he apologizing to her brother, but he wasn’t listening to her. wasn’t listening to her.

Tacit Tacit

Adj. known without being stated; Adj. known without being stated; impliedimplied

The teacher didn’t have to explain The teacher didn’t have to explain the tacit instruction of writing they’re the tacit instruction of writing they’re names on to the papers. names on to the papers.

Travail Travail

Noun. Painful labor or workNoun. Painful labor or work

The travail of working on the railroad The travail of working on the railroad had killed thousands of people. The had killed thousands of people. The bulk of the deaths were immigrants bulk of the deaths were immigrants because no one else wanted the low because no one else wanted the low paying, labor-intensive jobs. It was paying, labor-intensive jobs. It was also really dangerous work. also really dangerous work.