Vocabulary #1

 

 

1. Adumbrate- sketchily indicate something: to give an incomplete or faint outline or indication of something

 

The man in the hospital was adumbrating the man who attacked him, in fear of being hunted down by his assailant for giving the police his identity.

 

2. Apotheosis- the glorification of a subject to divine level

 

 

The Japanese's people apotheosis of their emperor in the past was at such a high level that only a select few people were allowed to here his voice.

 

 

3. Ascetic- a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.

 

The ascetic Buddhist Monks have been reported to have used self-immolation to protest.

 

4. Bauble- a showy, usually cheap, ornament; trinket; gewgaw

 

My aunt gave me a bauble of a gift for my car when I passed my driving test.

 

5. Beguile- charm somebody: to win and hold somebody's attention, interest, or devotion

 

A lot of students attempt to beguile their teachers in order to get on there good sides.

 

6. Burgeon- produce new growth: to produce new buds and leaves, or swell and develop into leaves and flowers

 

The rose bush burgeoned at the beginning of spring.

 

7. Complement- completing part: something that completes or perfects something else

 

The cinnamon complemented my banana nut muffins so well that I won the blue ribbon in the dessert contest.

 

8. Contumacious- very resistant to authority: flagrantly disobedient or rebellious

 

The contumacious black panthers of the 1950's fought for there right to equal rights.

 

9. Curmudgeon- somebody who is irritable or stubborn: somebody considered to be bad-tempered, disagreeable, or stubborn 

 

My little cousin is so curmudgeon that my aunt has to make him sit at the table for hours until he eats his dinner. 

 

10. Didactic- with message: containing a political or moral message

 

In every novel that has been published, there is some form of didactic. 

 

11. Disingenuous- withholding information: withholding or not taking account of known information

 

The disingenuous drug dealer would not tell the police who his supplier is.

 

12. Exculpate- prove somebody innocent: to free somebody from blame or accusation of guilt

 

Walter White tried to exculpate one of his drug dealers so he wouldn't give the police his name.

 

13. Faux Pas- social blunder: an embarrassing mistake that breaks a social convention

 

Bill unknowingly created a faux pas when he threw up on the dance floor at prom. 

 

14. Fulminate- speak scathingly: to express forceful criticism of somebody or something

Simon was very fulminate when reviewed the hopeful singer on America's Got Talent.

15. Fustian- bombastic: written or spoken with pretentiousness or pomposity

The hipster talked about his prius with great fustianism.

16. Hauteur- haughtiness: a haughty manner, feeling, or quality

The hauteur mechanic described the problem to the woman unneeded rudeness.

17. Inhibit- hold something in check: to stop something from continuing or developing

The American Army inhibited the Nazis from taking over Britain on D-Day.

18. Jeremiad- lengthy complaint: a long recitation of mournful complaints

My brother jeremiad about his old math teacher for always giving him extra homework on weekends.

19. Opportunist- unprincipled resourceful person: somebody who takes advantage of something, especially somebody who does so in a devious, unscrupulous, or unprincipled way

The opportunistic young man made a skateboard out of materials he found because he couldn't afford his own.

20. Unconscionable- morally unacceptable: shocking and morally unacceptable

The idea of gay marriage is so unconscionable to most religions that people of many faith choose to protest in the streets and send gay couples hate mail.