““The LetterThe LetterPart 1Part 1

Disdain• Verb• Scorn, despise,

contempt• I have colossal

disdain for the Celtics.

Tempestuous• Adjective• Emotional, passionate• His relationship with his father is

tempestuous and characterized by a lot of fighting

Surmise• Verb• Figure out; deduce• Banquo surmised that Macbeth

killed King Duncan because he had heard the prophecy.

Refrain• Noun• A repeated excuse• Many teachers have heard the

“my dog ate my homework” refrain.

Refrain• Verb• Abstain. Avoid doing something• Please refrain from using profanity

in class.

Quell• Verb• Calm, soothe• If you have never been kissed and

are nervous about your first kiss, I recommend chewing some gum to quell your fears about bad breath.

Poignant• Adjective• Moving, touching, heartbreaking• The Saints’ Superbowl victory was

a poignant win for a team that nobody thought could do it.

Peer• Verb• Gaze, look intently• He peered through the window

and saw his dog eating his homework.

Peer• Noun• Equal, friend• You should ALWAYS listen to your

teacher over the advice of your peers when it comes to your homework.

Debilitate• Verb• Impair, hinder• The stroke left him debilitated.

Colossal• Adjective• Gigantic, huge• The man’s

colossal beard made him look…weird.

Colossal• Adjective• Important, vital• It is of colossal significance that

you pass the CAHSEE if you want to graduate high school.

Cogitate• Verb• Think, consider• Macbeth had to cogitate about

whether he should kill King Duncan.

Cardiologist• Noun• Doctor who specializes in the

heart and cardiovascular system• Mr. Rodriguez may have to see a

cardiologist when the Lakers win the championship again this year (REPEAT!)

Abstain• Verb• Do without; refrain• Please abstain from eating burritos

in class.