High School English Vocabulary Words

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Quick Links to Vocab Pack: #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 , #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 MIDTERM VOCABULARY REVIEW
# 13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20

VOCAB PACK #1: Words from Sept. 5-11

WOTD TEST #1: Monday September ?, 2007
ablutions, premise, protrude, differentiate, confederate, synergy, disposition, lexicon, deliberation, auspicious

1. ablutions	`&-`blü`-sh&n`
	cleansing the body as part of a religious rite (noun)
	Many followers of the Hindu religion perform ablutions by bathing in the Ganges River.

2. premise

pre-m&s

a GUESS or hypothesis, an idea believed to be true as a starting point for ACTION
or to form a critical thinking conclusion.

Based on the premise that the world was round, Christopher Columbus sailed west
trying to reach the East Indies.

More help: In 1492 people thought the world was flat. Columbus GUESSED that the world was round.
(Premise = “world is round”). The ACTION he took as a result of his premise was to sail west.

3. protruded	prO-trüd
	jut out (verb)
	The jetty protruded* from the beach.*

4. differentiate	dif-&-'ren(t)-shE-At
	to recognize a difference (verb)
	Since Tracy was nearly deaf, she could not differentiate* between a bird’s chirp and a dog’s bark.*

5. confederate	k&n-fe-d&-r&t
	united with others for a common purpose (adj)
	The United Nations is a group of confederate countries that work together for world peace.

6. synergy	si-n&r-jE
	(noun) interaction or conditions such that the total effect is greater than the sum of the individual effects
	The synergy* in the classroom came from the teamwork of the students, which helped all of them become better readers!* More help: Think about teamwork or the saying “To heads are better than one.”

7. disposition	dis-p&-zi-sh&n
	(noun) an inclination or tendency
	Bob gets into many fights because he has an angry disposition.

8. lexicon	lek-s&-kän
	(noun) 1. a dictionary , 2. the vocabulary used by a specific language, person, or group of people.
	In order to become a nurse, Susan needed to learn the lexicon* of the medical profession. (definition #2)*

9. deliberation	di-li-b&-rA-sh&n
	(noun) careful consideration
	After much deliberation, Bob decided to become a policeman.

10. submissive	sub-'mi-siv
	(adjective) being obedient to others; meek; dutiful
	The submissive* collie ran to its master's side when told to come.*

VOCAB PACK #2: Words from Sept. 12-25

WOTD TEST #2: Monday, September ?, 2007
entreat, feign, mortality, subsist, traverse, dispatch, loathsome, copious, improvident, pacify

1. entreat	in-trEt
	beg; plead (verb)
	Sue entreated her strict mother to let her go to the rock concert.

2. feign	fAn
	pretend; fake (verb)
	Although he felt fine, Bob feigned illness so he could stay home from school.

3. mortality	mor-ta-l&-tE
	*death on a large scale (noun) ( this is a less frequently used definition for mortality)**
	The painful result of most wars is mortality.

4. subsist	s&b-sist
	remain alive; were sustained (verb)
	Lost in the woods for days, Bob subsisted by eating berries and drinking water from a stream.

5. traverse	tr&-v&rs
	move over, across, or through (verb)
	Sue traversed* the raging river by walking over a footbridge.*

6. dispatch	di-spach
	send off on a specific assignment (verb)
	Sue dispatched the firefighters to the burning house by announcing a general alarm over the fire department’s radio

7. loathsome	lOth-s&m
	hateful; detestable (adj)
	Eating cockroaches is a loathsome activity on Fear Factor.

8. copious	kO-pE-&s
	plentiful; abundant (adj)
	The Pilgrim’s food supply was copious after the fall harvest.

9. improvident	im-prav-dent
	shortsighted (adj)
	The improvident understanding of Earth’s ecosystem may result in the extinction of man.

10. pacify	pa-s&-fI
	calm; soothe (verb)
	When the baby began crying, Sue gave the infant a bottle to pacify* him.*

VOCAB PACK #3: Words from Sept. 26-28

WOTD TEST #3: Tuesday, October ?, 2007
exquisite, wince, affliction, sagacious, indication, august, contagion, dissolution, shroud, countenance

1. exquisite	ek-skwi-z&t
	(adjective) very beautiful; delicate; carefully wrought
	The exquisite* bracelet was made from fifty small, perfect diamonds.*

2. wince	`win(t)s`
	(verb) to draw back as if in pain, flinch
	Kathy winced* when the nurse pricked her finger to draw a drop of blood.*

3. affliction	&-flik-sh&n
	(noun) something causing pain or suffering
	Bob’s severe arthritis was an affliction* that made it difficult for him to write.*

4. sagacious	`s&-gA-sh&s`
	(adjective) shrewd; cunning, clever
	Bob thought he was sagacious* when he bought a term paper online, but his teacher, who noticed that the paper was not typical of Bob's writing style, was truly clever.*

5. indication	in-d&-kA-sh&n
	(noun) a sign; a thing that points out or signifies
	An indication* of global warming can be seen in the melting of artic glaciers and rising summer temperatures.*

6. august	`o-g&st`
	(adjective) dignified, noble, regal
	On the night of the junior prom, John looked august, wearing a black tuxedo and stepping into the stretch limousine.

7. contagion	`k&n-tA-j&n`
	(noun) a contagious disease, a disease that can pass from person to person
	Because Scarlet Fever is a contagion, people who contracted it had to be isolated.

8. reverie	`re-v&-rE`
	(noun) a daydream, the state of being lost in one's thoughts.
	Tom never heard his teacher assign the homework during class because he was engaged in his reverie, imagining he was surfing a giant wave in Hawaii.

9. shroud	shraud
	(noun) something that covers or screens, a burial garment (verb) to cover for protection
	In order to surprise Sue, her mother shrouded* the sweet sixteen party plans in secrecy.*

10. countenance	`kaun-t&n-ntshh`
	(noun) a face or expression on a face
	It was obvious from the teary eyes and frowning mouth of her countenance* that something was troubling Susan.*

VOCAB PACK #4: Words from Oct. 3-6

WOTD TEST #4: Tuesday, October ?, 2007
abundance, disconcert, pilfer, constrain, conceits, pervade, mollify, embellishment, phantasm, gaunt

1. abundance	&-b&n-d&n(t)s
	(noun) a great supply; more than enough; copious
	Mrs. Francis was delighted with the abundance* of A's the students earned on their vocabulary tests.*

2. disconcert	`dis-k&n-'s&rt`
	(verb) to confuse, to cause one to be unable to think clearly (noun) confusion, condition of being unable to think clearly
	The high school's confusing floor plan disconcerted parents on back to school night. (used as a verb) There was a brief disconcert of the dancers when the music stopped and the ebony clock began to chime. (used as a noun, adapted from The Masque of the Red Death)

3. pilfer	pil-fer
	(verb) to steal
	Hunger caused the runaway teen to pilfer* a loaf of bread from the supermarket.*

4. constrain	`k&n-strAn`
	(verb) to hold back as if by force
	The mailman was relieved to see that the vicious pit bull was constrained* by its owner's command to stay.*

5. conceits	`k&n-sEts`
	(noun) Definition 1: strange or fanciful ideas (noun) Definition 2: an elaborate or strained metaphor example: comparing the spinning of cloth to the gaining of God's grace, which is a metaphor seen in the poem "Huswifery" RELATED WORD: conceited (adjective) - having an unrealistically high opinion of oneself
	The conceits* filling Sam's mind made him think he could fly.*

6. pervade	`p&r-vAd`
	(verb) to spread throughout
	The students held their noses when the skunk's odor pervaded* the classroom.*

7. mollify	`mä-l&-fI`
mollified (past)	(verb) to sooth, to calm
	George's parents needed to be mollified when his report card arrived and they noticed he was failing three classes.

8. embellishment	`im-be-lish-m&nt`
	(noun) ornament, something that adds beauty
	The beautician added the embellishment of fresh flowers to Katie's hairdo to decorate it for the junior prom.

9. phantasm	`fan-ta-z&m`
	(noun) ghost, illusion, figment of the imagination
	?

10. gaunt	gont
	(adjective) very thin
	The supermodel was gaunt* because she only ate one meal a day.*

VOCAB PACK #5: Words from Oct. 16-20

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #5: Monday, October ?, 2007
peril, ?, loath, ?, sundry, ?, recompense, ?, ?, ?... WORDS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE

1. peril	per-&l
	(noun) danger
	The rock climbers were in peril when the avalanche began.

2. piquancy	pE-k&n(t)-sE
	(noun) a spicy flavor, the quality of being lively and charming
	The chili’s piquancy was caused by the hot sauce added by the chef.

3. loath	lOth
	(adjective) reluctant, unwilling
	The loath student needed to be coaxed to the front of the classroom to give a speech.

4. pestilence	pes-t&-l&n(t)s
	(noun) something that is widely destructive (like the Bubonic Plague)
	Mad Cow Disease is a pestilence that forced livestock breeders to kill many of their cows.

5. sundry	s&n-drE
	(adjective) various; different
	The sundry department in the supermarket has many different items for sale.

6. manifold	ma-n&-fOld
	(adjective) in many ways
	Susan adored her boyfriend because he found manifold ways to express his love for her.

7. recompense	re-k&m-pen(t)s
	(noun) reward; repayment
	I was given fifty dollars as recompense for returning a lost wallet to its rightful owner.

8. persevere	per-s&-vir
	(verb) persist; be steadfast in purpose
	Statistics was difficult for Kathy, but she persevered with her studies and passed the course.
9. omnipotent	om-nip-&-tent
	(adjective) all powerful
	The citizens of a democracy have some freedom because their President is not omnipotent.

10. ineffable	i-ne-f&-b&l
	(adjective) inexpressible, having the quality of being unable to be expressed.
	The torturous tactics of many terrorists are so terrible that they are ineffable.

VOCAB PACK #6: Words from Oct. 23-27

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #6: Monday, October ?, 2007
dolorous, arduous, avarice, vigilance, foppery, dominion, courtier, seclusion, despair, dauntless

1. dolorous	dO-l&-r&s
	(adjective) sad, mournful
	I’ll never forget the dolorous* meows of the kittens at the animal shelter that were waiting for a home.*

2. arduous	är- dyu -w&s
	(adjective) difficult
	Writing a research paper is an arduous* task for many high school students.*

3. avarice	a-v&-r&s
	(noun) greed
	Although Tom won $100,000 in the state lottery, his avarice* lead him to Atlantic City where he lost his fortune at a poker table.*

4. vigilance	`vi-j&-l&n(t)s`
	(noun) watchfulness
	Members of the Secret Service must have vigilance when guarding the President.

5. foppery	`fä-p(&-)rE`
	(noun) foolishness
	It is pure foppery* to think you can pass calculus without doing your homework.*

6. dominion	`d&-'mi-ny&n`
	(noun) a territory over which power or control is exercised
	Mordred was a traitor because he tried to take over the dominion of his uncle, King Arthur.

7. diverse	`dI-'vers,` or `d&-``'vers`
	(adjective) having much variety, containing items that are different from one another
	Our world is filled with diverse* cultures ranging from the primitive tribes hiding in the Rain Forest to the high-class social circles of the Hamptons in Long Island.*

8. seclusion	`si-'klü-zh&n`
	(noun) isolation
	The murderer on death row was so violent that guards kept him in seclusion to protect the other inmates.

9. despair	`di-'spair`
	(noun) the feeling of losing all hope
	When the last lifeboat drifted away, those who remained on the sinking Titanic were filled with despair.

10. dauntless	dont-l&s
	(adjective) fearless
	The dauntless bullfighter shook his red cape as the raging bull charged toward him.

VOCAB PACK #7: Words from Oct. 30 - Nov. 3

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #7: Monday, November ?, 2007
felicity, squander, fasting, unalienable, perfidy, redress,

1. felicity	fi-li-s&-tE
	(noun) happiness; bliss
	Although some people believe that financial success brings happiness, friends and family are the true source of felicity

2. squander	skwän-d&r
	(verb) to spend or use wastefully
	Many people follow a budget so they do not squander* their money.*

3. fast	fast
	(verb) to eat very little
	Sue needed to fast* eight hours before the test, so she stopped eating at midnight.*

4. unalienable	&n-Al-y&-n&-b&l
	(adjective) not to be taken away
	The American Constitution states that freedom of speech is an unalienable right guaranteed to American citizens.

5. perfidy	p&r-f&-dE
	(noun) betrayal of trust
	Never tell your secrets to a friend because perfidy* is often a part of people's personalities.*

6. redress	ri-dres
	(noun) compensation for a wrong done
	As redress for the damage caused by their barroom brawl, Mark and Anthony were ordered to pay the bar's owner $20,000.

7. eloquence	e-l&-kw&nts
	(noun) the ability to speak with force and persuasion
	George's eloquence* helped him to become the car dealership's best salesman.*

8. precipitous	pri-si-p&-t&s
	(adjective) very steep
	Sue fell several times as she hiked the precipitous* trail that lead to the top of the mountain.*

9. quaint	kwAnt
	(adjective) pleasantly old-fashioned or unusual
	The one-room schoolhouse was quaint with its pot-belly stove and wooden desks.

10. enigma	`i-'nig-m&`
	(noun) something hard to understand or explain
	For most people, Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity is an enigma.

VOCAB PACK #8: Words from November 6-17

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #8: Monday, November ?, 2007
magnanimity, acquiesce, impious, infidel, placid, scepter, celestial, refulgent, euphemism, barista

1. magnanimity	mag-n&-ni-m&-tE
	(noun) ability to rise above pettiness or meaness
	Good leaders must have magnanimity* or else people will not follow them.*

2. acquiesce	a-kwE-es
	(verb) agree without protest
	Joe always acquiesced when his boss asked him to work overtime, but his agreeable nature paid off with a promotion.

3. impious	im-pI- &s
	(adjective) lacking reverence (respect) for God
	The impious* Priest was caught stealing money from the collection basket.*

4. infidel	in-f&-d&l
	(noun) person who holds no religious beliefs
	The fanatical Muslim often called American's infidels, since Islam is not a common religion in America

5. placid	pla-s&d
	(adjective) tranquil; calm
	Mike's favorite vacation spot was a secluded lake in Canada, which offered a placid environment far from crowds.

6. scepter	sep-t&r
	(noun) a rod or staff held by rulers as a symbol of sovereignty
	Queen Elizabeth's scepter* was made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds.*

7. celestial	s&-les-tE-&l
	(adjective) of the heavens
	A comet is one of the most spectacular celestial* bodies to watch as it passes by Earth.*

8. refulgent	ri-ful-j&nts
	(adjective) radiant; shining
	Kathy's refulgent* smile was electrifying.*

9. euphemism	`'yü-f&-"mi-z&m`
	(noun) the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.
	Always a lady, Susan insisted on using the euphemism "powder my nose" whenever she needed to use the bathroom.

10. barista	`b&-rEs-t&`
	(noun) a person who makes and serves coffee (as espresso) to the public.
	I asked the barista* at Starbucks to make me a toffee nut latte.*

WOTD TEST: Vocab. Packs 5-8: Tuesday, November ?, 2007
Review previous vocab. packs. Test format will be twenty multiple choice questions with NO context clue sentences.

VOCAB PACK #9: Words from Nov. 20-30

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #9: December ?, 2007

1. propitious	pr&-pi-sh&s
	(adjective) favorably inclined or disposed
	Being born to a wealthy family is a propitious* event for anyone who longs to be a billionaire.*

2. pensive	pent-siv
	(adjective) thinking deeply or seriously
	The senior was pensive* as he listened to his guidance counselor explain career options.*

3. insidious	in-si-dE-&s
	(adjective) deceitful. treacherous
	The FBI agent was sentenced to life in prison for his insidious actions, which included selling top-secret documents.

4. vigilant	vi-j&-l&nt
	(adjective) alert to danger
	After a grease fire burned my kitchen, I learned to be vigilant* while frying chicken.*

5. infallibility	in-fa-l&-bi-l&-tE
	(noun) inability to be wrong, reliability
	Mike's infallibility* during the test was boosted by the cheat sheet hidden in his sleeve.*

6. despotism	des-p&-ti-z&m
	(noun) absolute rule. tyranny
	I would hate living in a country that supported despotism because I myself am a free spirit.

7. unanimity	yü-n&-ni-m&-tE
	(noun) complete agreement
	It is helpful for a husband and wife to have unanimity* on important issues.*

8. posterity	pä-ster-&-tE
	(noun) all succeeding (future) generations
	Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography to preserve his wisdom for posterity.

9. lumber	`l&m-b&r`
	(verb) to move awkwardly as if weighed down
	When the labor pains began, the pregnant woman lumbered to her husband's car and headed for the hospital.

10. elusive	`E-lü-siv`
	(adjective) hard to isolate or identify
	The giant Panda bear is an elusive* creature that hides deep in the bamboo forest.*

VOCAB PACK #10: Words from December 4-8

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #10: December ?, 2007

(double click)

1. manifest	ma-n&-fest
	(adjective) to make evident, obvious, or clear
	The student's intelligence and willingness to work hard were manifested* in his report card.*

2. scrutinize	`skrü-t&-"nIz`
	(verb) to examine closely and minutely, to inspect
	The auditor scrutinized* the financial books for mistakes.*

3. extricate	ek-str&-kAt
	(verb) to set free
	Since DNA samples found at the crime scene did not match the suspect, he was extricated.

4. missionary	`'mi-sh&-"ner-E`
	a person undertaking a mission, especially a religious person seeking to convert people .
	The missionary escorted the Indian girls into the school.

5. asylum	&-sI-l&m
	(noun) a place of refuge, a place of protection and shelter
	The scientist defected during the Russian Revolution and was granted asylum in the United States.

6. riveting	des-p&-ti-z&m
	(adjective) having the ability to attract and hold attention
	Tom could not glance away from Susan's riveting blue eyes that seemed to reach down deep to his inner most thoughts.

7. despotic	des-pä-tik
	(adjective) harsh, cruel, unjust
	When the despotic* ruler was killed, people danced in the streets.*

8. trivial	`'tri-vE-&l`
	(adjective) of little worth or importance
	Breakfast is not a trivial* meal; therefore, it should not be skipped if you want to have proper nutrition.*

9. extort	ik-stort
	(verb) to obtain by threat or violence
	The loan shark extorted money from local small business owners by threatening to burn down their stores.

10. indignity	in·dig·ni·ty
	an insult
	The Indian girl suffered many indignities* from the white people who misunderstood her.*

VOCAB PACK #11: Words from December 11 - 15

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #10: December ?, 2007

(double click)

1. ostentation	`"äs-t&n-'tA-sh&n`
	(verb) boastful display, the act of "showing off"
	Kimberly, who frequently talked about her posessions, had few friends because they found her ostentation annoying.

2. essential	`i-'sen(t)-sh&l`
	(adj) important because it is necessary
	Following school rules is essential* in order to avoid detention.*

3. parsimony	`'pär-s&-"mO-nE`
	(noun) stinginess, a dislike for spending money
	Although the old lady had worked a low-paying job all her life, she died a wealthy woman because of her parsimony.

4. resource	`'rE-"sors,`
	something that provides supplies or support
	Your guidance counselor can be a great resource for gaining information about which schools to attend after your high school graduation.

5. bivouac	`'bi-v&-"wak`
	(noun) a temporary encampment
	After hiking along the Appalachian Trail the entire day, the campers were eager to set up their bivouac* and settle down for the evening.*

6. profound	`prO-'faund`
	(adjective) having intellectual depth and insight; difficult to understand, deep
	Many traditional people thought Charles Darwin's ideas on evolution were profound.

7. sublime	`s&-'blIm`
	(adjective) noble; inspiring.
	Walt Whitman was a sublime poet who inspired many modern poets, including Langston Hughes.

8. beleaguered	`bi-'lE-g&r, bE`
	(adjective) worried; tormented
	During the Great Depression American citizens were beleaguered by their attempts to find work and feed their families.

9. efface	`i-'fAs`
	(verb) erase, wipe out
	When the waves rolled onto the beach, they effaced* the footprints in the sand.*

10. schism	`'shi-z&m`
	(noun) a split or division
	King Henry VIII's desire to divorce his wife created a schism between the ruler and the Catholic church.

VOCAB PACK # 12: Words from December 18-January 5th

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #12: , January ?, 2007

1. jocularity	jak yoo lar & tē
	(noun) joking good humor
	Bob's jocularity* made everyone laugh at the holiday party.*

2. prelude	'pre-lüd,
	(noun) introductory section or movement of a work of music
	During symphony's prelude, a solo flutist played for several minutes before the full orchestra joined in.

3. inert	`i-'n&rt`
	(adjective) motionless, slow to move or act (note: in Chemistry inert chemicals resist reacting with other chemicals)
	The inert* liquid did not cause a change when mixed with the solution in the test tube.*

4. tremulously	`'tre myU l&s lE`
	(adjective) fearfully; timidly
	Tina tremulously* tiptoed into the haunted house on Halloween.*

5. reverential	`"re-v&-'ren(t)-sh&l`
	(adjective) caused by a feeling of deep respect and love
	Bob's reverential* feelings towards Kathy inspired him to propose marriage.*

6. epitaph	`'e-p&-"taf`
	(noun) inscription on a tombstone or grave marker
	As she walked through the graveyard, Kim was intrigued to learn more about the person whose epitaph read "Live, Laugh, Love"

7. degenerate	`dE-'je-n& r&t`
	(adjective) morally corrupt, (noun) a person who is morally corrupt
	Wise teens stayed away from the degenerate drug dealer who wanted to give them free samples of his illegal products.

8. repose	`ri-'pOz`
	(noun) state of being at rest
	When the winter break ended it was hard to give up the repose* we enjoyed for ten days.*

9. imperially	`im-'``pir-E-&l`-lE
	(adverb) majestically, stately, grandly
	Katherine entered the junior prom imperially* dressed in Versace and dripping in diamonds.*

10. audacity	`o-'da-s&-tE`
	(noun) bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints
	Michael lost credit for his courses because he had the audacity to be absent from school fifty times without bringing in notes from his doctor.

VOCAB PACK # 13: Words from January 8-12

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #13: January ?, 2007

(double click)

1. sedentary	`'se-d^&n-"ter-E`
	(adjective) showing little physical activity
	When Paul retired he gained weight as a result of his sedentary* life.*

2. uniformity	`"yü-n&-'for-m&-tE`
	(noun) the condition of always having the same form, manner, or degree
	To meet customer expectations, the food manufacturer frequently tested the uniformity of the candy bars it produced.

3. monotony	`m&-'nä-t&-nE,`
	(noun) boring sameness
	The monotony of the calculus class put Carl to sleep.

4. rectify	`'rek-t&-"fI`
	(verb) to correct or "set something straight"
	John was frustrated as he tried to rectify* the errors in his checkbook.*

5. remedy	`'re-m&-dE`
	(noun) something that cures an illness or bad situation
	Building a fence on the Mexican border is not the remedy* for America's immigration troubles.*
6. propagate	`'prä-p&-"gAt`
	(verb) to make something grow or increase
	Sandy propagated* four new plants from the clippings of her spider plant*

7. vacillate	`'va-s&-"lAt`
	(verb) `to shift back and forth`
	The waitress became frustrated because her customer kept *vacillating* between choosing a fatty steak dinner and a healthy salad for dinner.

8. wavering	`'wAv-ri[ng]`
	(verb) hesitating, being unable to make a decision
	Sue should stop wavering and choose a college to attend since college admissions deadlines are approaching quickly.

9. fluctuation	`fl&k-ch&-"wA-sh&n`
	(noun) a change or variation
	Warren Buffet knows how to get rich by taking advantage of fluctuations* in stock prices.*

10. frustrating	`'fr&s-"trAt-ing`
	(adjective) having the ability to annoy
	Work is frustrating* for Kimberly because her boss is demanding.*

MIDTERM EXAM VOCABULARY WORDS:

AFFLICTION - (noun) something causing pain or suffering . (Vocab. Pack 3)

ARDUOUS - (adjective) difficult (Vocab. Pack 6)

BARISTA (noun) a person who makes and serves coffee (as espresso) to the public.

DAUNTLESS - (adjective) fearless (Vocab. Pack 6)

DIFFERENTIATE (verb) to recognize a difference. (Vocab. Pack 1)

EGREGIOUS – conspicuously bad or offensive (clearly bad or offensive) (Vocab. Pack 3)

ELOQUENCE - (noun) the ability to speak with force and persuasion (Vocab. Pack 7)

ENIGMA - (noun) something hard to understand or explain (Vocab. Pack 7)

MAGNANIMITY - noun) ability to rise above pettiness or meaness,

OMNIPOTENT - (adjective) all powerful (Vocab. Pack 5)

PERSEVERE - (verb) persist; be steadfast in purpose (Vocab. Pack 5)

PERVADE - (verb) to spread throughout (Vocab. Pack 4)

PROPAGATE - (verb) to make something grow or increase (Vocab. Pack 13)

PREMISE (noun) a guess or hypothesis, an idea believed to be true as a starting point for action or to form a critical thinking conclusion.

RECTIFY - (verb) to correct or "set something straight" (Vocab. Pack 13)

REVERIE (noun) a daydream, the state of being lost in one’s thoughts. (Vocab. Pack 3)

SCRUTINIZE - (verb) to examine closely and minutely, to inspect (Vocab. Pack 10)

SYNERGY (noun) interaction or conditions such that the total effect is greater than the sum of the individual effects. (Vocab. Pack 1)

UNALIENABLE - (adjective) not to be taken away (Vocab. Pack 7)

VIGILANCE - (noun) watchfulness (Vocab. Pack 6)

VOCAB PACK # 14: Words for January 30-February 2

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #14: Test on February ?, 2007

1. ignite	`ig-nIt`
	(verb) to light; to start a fire; to excite
	Tom used lighter fluid to ignite* the coals in the barbecue grill.*
2. conflagration	`kän-fl&-grA-sh&n`
	(noun) a large fire, an inferno
	The firefighters struggled to contain the conflagration at the fireworks warehouse.

3. raze	`rAz`
	(verb) to destroy completely; to tear down
	The old, rotting mansion had to be razed* to clear land for a shopping center.*
4. exhilarating	`ig-zi-l&-rAt`-ing
	(adjective) cheerful and exciting
	Our white-water rafting adventure down the Colorado River was exhilarating.

5. laudable	`law-d&-ble`
	(adjective) worthy of praise
	The soldier's laudable* actions rescuing his comrades earned him a medal of honor.*
6. stimulating	stim-y&-lAt-ing
	(adjectve) having the ability to make one think or move into action
	The presidential candidates participated in a stimulating* debate on foreign policy.*

7. illusion	`i-lü-zh&n`
	(noun) an imaginary image
	When we went to Great Adventure, my sister jumped at the sight of a ghost floating in the haunted house, but I laughed because I knew it was only an illusion.
8. union	`yUn-y&n`
	(noun) a combination, a merger, a joining together of separate things
	The factory workers formed a union* in the hopes of gaining larger paychecks.*

9. fusion	`fyU-zh&n`
	(noun) synthesis, the blending together separate elements to form a whole
	The fusion of the DNA of a fish with the DNA of strawberries has formed a fruit that is resistant to insects.
10. proximity	`präk-si-m&-tE`
	(noun) nearness, a distance that is nearby
	Kathy feared fires, so whenever she went to the movie theatre she sat in proximity* to the exit.*

VOCAB PACK # 15: Words from January 8-22

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #15: Test date February ?, 2007

(double click)

1. myriad	`'mir-E-&d`
	(adjective) countless
	Because there were myriad stars in the sky, Emily was convinced life existed elsewhere in the universe.
2. guile	`gI-&l`
	(noun) craftiness, cleverness
	The crook used his guile and eloquence to persuade the old man to give him a down payment to purchase the Brooklyn Bridge.

3. stark	`stärk`
	(adjective) stiff, rigid, rigidly conforming, harsh, barren,
	The stark* conditions of the jail cell had none of the comforts of home.*
4. tempest	`tem-p&st`
	(noun) violent storm
	When warnings about the approaching hurricane were broadcast, residents of the Jersey Shore boarded up their windows and waited for the tempest* to arrive.*

5. salient	`sA-ly&nt`
	(adjective) standing out from the rest
	The salient features of the Mercedes McClaren SLR, such as its carbon fiber body, clearly justify its hefty sticker price.
6. commiseration	`k&-mi-z&-rA-sh&n`
	(noun) sympathy
	The greeting cards that the students sent to the American soldiers in Iraq were filled with messages of commiseration.

7. contrition	`k&n-tri-sh&n`
	(noun) guilty sorrow for having done wrong
	Perhaps George Washington was not punished for chopping down a cherry tree since contrition was evident in his voice as he spoke to his father.
8. antagonism	`an-ta-g&-ni-z&m`
	(noun) hostility, display of anger
	Antagonism filled the air as the bailiff lead the murder suspect into the courtroom.

9. retrospective	`re-trO-spek-tiv`
	(noun) looking back on or directed to the past
	The Museum of Modern Art will be presenting a retrospective show featuring the works of the famous artist Pablo Picasso.
10. manuscript	`man-y&-skript`
	(noun) a handwritten or typed document, such as the ones submitted to a publisher
	Before the printing press was invented, ancient manuscripts* were painstakingly copied by monks.*

VOCAB PACK # 16: Words from

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #16: , February ?, 2007

(double click)

1. repression	ri-'pre-shən
	(noun) restraint, holding back
	In America the repression* of free speech would be met by massive protests.*

2. pristine	'pris-`tEn`
	(adjective) original; unspoiled
	Our street is pristine* after a fresh fallen snow.*

3. insidious	in-'si-dE-əs
	(adjective) secretly treacherous
	The insidious* soldier sold classified information to the enemy.*

4. digress	dI-'gres
	(verb) to depart temporarily from the main subject
	The students tried to make their teacher digress* from his lecture by asking him questions that were unrelated to the day's lesson.*

5. malingers	mə-'liŋ-gər
	(verb) to pretend to be ill
	Craig's mother suspected him of malingering, so she sent him to school despite his complaints of a stomachache.

6. meticulous	mə-'ti-kyə-ləs
	(adjective) extremely careful about details
	The meticulous* accountant who prepared my income tax return helped me find many deductions that I had overlooked.*

7. obtuse	äb-'tüs
	(adjective) slow to understand or perceive
	Tim's obtuse* question in class clearly indicated that he had not been paying attention to the teacher's lecture.*

8. voluminous	və-'lü-mə-nəs
	(adjective) of enough material to fill volumes
	Anthony shocked his English teacher by handing in a voluminous* research paper that would require her to read for hours!*

9. dogma	'dog-mə
	(noun) authoritative doctrines (teachings) or beliefs
	The dogma* of scientific theory is often in direct conflict with the dogma of religious organizations.*

10. auspicious	o-'spi-sh&s
	(adjective) favorable
EXTRA CREDIT WORD	Winning an Olympic gold medal proved to be auspicious for the athlete, who was hired to endorse Wheaties cereal as the “breakfast of champions.”
11. apparition	a-pə-'ri-shən
	(noun) the act of appearing or becoming visible, a vision
	Macbeth stared intently at the apparition* of a bloody child, which was conjured up by the three witches.*

VOCAB PACK # 17: Words from

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #17: , February ?, 2007

1. fallowness	`'fa-lO-ness`
	`inactivity`
	The farmer decided not to plant crops in his back field, hoping the field’s fallowness would help it to become fertile again.

2. fortuitous	`for-'tü-&-t&s`
	`fortunate`
	Membership in the Automobile Association of America (AAA) was fortuitous for Bob when his car broke down many miles from his home.

3. sinuous	'sin -yü-&s
	`moving in and out; wavy`
	We drove slowly on the sinuous road as we winded our way to the top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado.

4. mundane	m&n-'dAn
	`Commonplace; ordinary`
	Albert dreamed of purchasing a red, Lamborghini Gallardo to replace his grey, mundane Toyota Camry.

5. poignant	'poi-ny&nt
	`sharply painful to the feelings`
	Susan kept a box of tissues handy while she read the ending of Shakespeare’s poignant play Romeo and Juliet.

6. pugilistic	pyü-j&-'lis-tik
	`looking for a fight`
	Everyone in the cafeteria kept their distance from the pugilistic bully who loved to terrorize his classmates.

7. somnolent	'som-n&-l&nt
	`sleepy; drowsy`
	Kristy’s mother gave her daughter warm milk to cure Kristy’s insomnia and make her somnolent.

8. tempo	'tem-pO
	`rate of activity of a sound or motion; pace`
	While Bob practiced playing the piano, he used a metronome to help himself follow the tempo of the song.

9. sallow	'sa-lO
	`sickly; pale yellow`
	Kim’s face looked as sallow* as an old lemon, so Mr. Jones sent her to the nurse.*

10. sullen	's&-l&n
	`sulky; glum; gloomy`
	The rowdy student’s mood turned sullen when he learned that he was failing his class.

VOCAB PACK # 18: Words from February 22-March7, Handed out March 12th

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #18: , March ?, 2007

1. timorous	ti-mə-rəs
	(adjective) full of fear
	The timorous* child hid behind her mother when she saw the clown at the circus.*

2. visage	vi-zij
	(noun) appearance
	Pain and sorrow could be seen on the visage of the refuges who left their homeland to escape the horrors of war.

3. suffice	sə-fīs
	(verb) to be adequate; meet the needs of
	The school gymnasium had to suffice as shelter for the evacuees who left their homes during the hurricane.

4. insatiable	in-sA-shə-bəl
	(adjective) constantly wanting more
	Young children have an insatiable* desire to learn about their world.*

5. slovenly	sl&-vən-lE
	(adjective) untidy
	The slovenly* teenager threw her dirty clothes on her bedroom floor.*

6. dominion	də-mi-nyən
	(noun) power to rule
	Queen Elizabeth's dominion over England was often threatened by those who wished to overthrow the Queen.

7.palpable	pal-p&-b&l
	(adjective) able to be touched, felt, or handled
	The doctor found a palpable tumor* when Tom came to the office for his annual checkup.*

8. derivative	di-ri-v&-tiv
	(adjective) not original; based on something else
	Butter is a derivative* of milk.*

9. literalist	li-t&-r&-list
	(noun) those who take words at their exact meaning
	Literalists who interpret the Bible do not believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

10. piety	pI-&-tE
	(noun) devotion to religious duties
	The old woman showed her piety* by attending church every Sunday.*

VOCAB PACK # 19: Words from March 8-21, Handed Out March 20, 2007, Monday

WOTD TEST: March 26th

1. frippery	`'fri-p&-rE`
	(noun) showy display of elegance
	The Shop-Rite cashier laughed at the frippery* of her customer who wore a fur coat to the supermarket.*

2. dyspepsia	`dis-'pep-sE-&`
	(noun) indigestion
	The winner of the First Annual Chicken Wing Eating Contest suffered from dyspepsia after winning the competition.

3. poise	`'poiz`
	(noun) balance; stability
	Amazingly, the fashion model showed great poise as she walked down the runway in six-inch-high stilettos.

4. rueful	`'rü-f&l`
	(adjective) feeling or showing someone sorrow or pity
	The rueful spectators who lined the street came to watch Princess Diana's funeral procession and bid a final farewell to their beloved princess.

5. luminary	`'lü-m&-ner-E`
	(noun) a person of prominence or brilliant achievement (adjective) giving off light
	Joe Namath was a luminary* on the football field who earned the title of Most Valuable Player during Super Bowl III.*

6. increment	`'in-kr&-m&nt`
	(noun) increase, as in a series
	After meeting with her manager for an annual review, Karen was relieved to learn she would receive the pay increment* described in her contract.*

7. levity	`'le-v&-tE`
	(noun) excessive lack of serious behavior
	While the striking workers picketed for higher wages, their union leader tried to add some levity* to the situation by humorously listing the top ten joys of being out of work.*

8. beguile	`bE-'gI-&l`
	(verb) to charm or delight
	The beautiful, intelligent young woman easily beguiled* all the men who met her.*

9. stark	`'stärk`
	(adjective) severe
	The stark* landscape of Antarctica* discourages tourism since most people want to vacation in lush, warm locations.

10. reaping	`'rEp-ing`
	(verb) cutting or harvesting, such as harvesting grain from a field
	If you work hard now to get a good education, you will reap* many rewards later in life.*

VOCAB PACK # 20: Words from March 22 to April 4

WOTD TEST: Vocab Pack #20: April ?, 2007

1. glean	`glEn`
	(verb) collect the remaining grain after reaping, to gather information or material bit by bit.
	After several days of investigating the robbery, the detective was able to glean enough information to name a suspect.

2. desolate	`de-s&-l&t`
	(adjective) forlorn; wretched; deserted
	When the soldiers invaded the village, they found it was desolate, having been deserted by the villagers hours earlier.

3. list	`list`
	(verb) tilt. incline
	The ocean liner listed* to the left when it was hit by the sixty-foot, rogue wave.*

4. ominous	`'ä-m&-n&s`
	(adjective) threatening; sinister
	The wolf looked ominous* as it bared its fangs to keep hikers away from its pups.*

5. ravenous	`ra-v&-n&s`
	(adjective) extremely eager
	The bear's ravenous appetite led it straight to the hiker's camp where hotdogs were roasting on an open fire.

6. morose	`m&-rOs`
	(adjective) gloomy; sullen
	Our students are never morose* on the last day of school.*

7. guffawing	g&-fo-ing
	(noun) laughing in a loud, course manner
	Although the comedy was funny, everyone in the theater turned to look at the guffawing woman who was disrupting the movie.

8. diligence	`di-l&-j&nts`
	(noun) constant, careful effort; perseverance
	Diligence is needed to train a Jack Russell Terrier.

9. connivance	`k&-nI-v&nts`
	(noun) secret cooperation
	The Watergate scandal revealed the connivance that is frequently present when political parties compete for power.

10. illiterate	`il-li-t&-r&t`
	(illiterate) unable to read or write
	The old man had never stepped foot in the library or a book store because he was illiterate.

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