Unit 1

Word

Definition

Example

Voracious

Having a great appetite for anything

I think it comes from reading, and I was a voracious reader when I was a little boy

Indiscriminate

Without care or making distinctions, thoughtless

Republican governors told Mr. Obama they had qualms about indiscriminate federal spending

Eminent

Of a person, distinguished, important, noteworthy

Not so long ago an eminent member of the House of Lords had died of heart failure

Steeped

soaked in liquid; saturated with or subjected thoroughly to

"One person, one vote" is a phrase steeped in history, but it has its limits

Replete

Gorged, filled to near the point of bursting, especially with food or drink

But this team has a name replete with an altogether different history

Abound

To be plentiful; to be very prevalent; to overflow

The only place where "realists" abound is in ivory towers, as I understand it

Technology

The body of tools and other implements produced by a given society

Our lead in technology is declining in several areas

Prognosticate

To predict or forecast, especially through the application of skill

It's difficult to prognosticate regular season baseball a month in advance

Automaton

A machine or robot designed to follow a precise sequence of instructions

Suddenly, Hillary was no longer the "automaton" with wonkish talk

Matron

A mature woman; a wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children;

I called the matron of the dormitories at 7pm that night, in true worried-mother fashion

Paradox

A counterintuitive conclusion or outcome

I know this paradox is apparent everywhere, but it does not make it any less important to address

Realm

An abstract sphere of influence, real or imagined

The subconscious never sleeps and this realm is a vast resource for a writer

Annals

Historical records; chronicles; history

The Pleiades are mentioned in Chinese annals in 2357 B.C

Compound

To put together

Write compound predicates after the following compound subjects

Tinge

The degree of vividness of a colour; shade, hue or tint

Petey, everything you write has a certain tinge of melancholy

Badger

To pester, to annoy persistently

BEHAR: We found out during the break that a badger is a weasel

Implore

To beg for, to entreat urgently or earnestly

I would again implore ... not to let this opportunity pass

Drudgery

Tedious, menial and exhausting work

How much drudgery is involved in making a sandwich and a pot of tea?

Interminable

Existing or occurring without interruption or end; ceaseless, unending

They will be involved in interminable and boring investigations or interrogations

Perceive

To see, to be aware of, to understand

All we can perceive is filtered through our inner state, so it's pointless to seek to act elsewhere

Laconic

Using as few words as possible; pithy and concise

The Spartans were dignified, austere, and of few words, "laconic" in speech

Throng

A group of people crowded or gathered closely together; a multitude

Xavi waited for the baying throng to calm down before converting the penalty

Intrepid

Fearless; bold; brave

Tom Cruise's facial reaction is brilliant in this prank staged by an intrepid British reporter

Accost

To approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with a demand

The bodyguards accost the snappers, saying they are in the way and need to step back

Reticent

Keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained

In Chausson, the result is a kind of reticent grandeur that I've always found intriguing

Furtive

Exhibiting guilty or evasive secrecy

While the relationship was private, it can hardly be called furtive or clandestine

Felon

Evil; bad; immoral

A convicted felon is going to be speaking at their convention

Plethora

An excessive amount or number; an abundance

What do call a plethora of newsreaders the BBC of course

Hapless

Very unlucky; ill-fated

He teaches that people are agents of history and not its hapless, helpless victims

Irate

Extremely angry; wrathful; enraged

He came to our hotel last night, kind of irate," I said, after a moment

Pretext

A false, contrived or assumed purpose; a pretense

Turkey used this as pretext to invade the northern part of the island

Fabricate

To invent and form; to forge; to devise falsely; as, to fabricate a lie or story

There are so many better things to go after him you don't need to kind of fabricate a scandal

Adroit

Dexterous, deft or skillful

Also, Thompson was a stylist noted for his adroit use of an unreliable narrator

Gesticulate

To make gestures or motions, as in speaking; to use postures

Apple is designing a television that you can shout and gesticulate at

Vigilant

Watchful, especially for danger or disorder; alert; wary

He is urging Australians to be vigilant about the risks of heart disease

Avid

Enthusiastic; passionate; longing eagerly; eager; greedy

Even George Washington was known as an avid fox hunter

Cajole

To encourage or persuade by effort; to coax

In light of the delays, Acer is attempting to cajole TSOs and exchanges into action

Rudimentary

Basic; minimal; with less than, or only the minimum, necessary

It gives professionals a rudimentary language with which to exchange information

Enhance

To improve something by adding features

Nokia has included some fine apps that enhance the user experience

Nuance

Subtlety or fine detail

Of course, that kind of nuance is lost on the holy-rolling knuckledraggers of the radical right

Loathe

To hate, detest, revile

I loathe the idea of a candidate coming in with a little posse of disciples

Reprimand

To reprove in a formal or official way

It is very obvious here that Patterson got a strong reprimand from the Clintons

Lackluster

Lacking brilliance or intelligence

Senate race in Massachusetts on what they described as a lackluster campaign

Caustic

Capable of burning, corroding or destroying organic tissue

Breathing in caustic products may cause irritation of the nose, throat, airways, and stomach

Wrest

To obtain by pulling or violent force

It was resolved to wrest from the French all the conquests they had made upon British dominion

Infamous

Having a bad reputation; of bad report; notoriously vile; detestable

This year marks the centenary of the infamous 1913 Natives Land Act

Jostle

To be close to or in physical contact with

School children worship him like a popstar and their parents jostle to shake his hand

Dupe

A person who has been deceived

Calling someone a terrorist dupe is nowhere the same as calling them EVIL

Incipient

Beginning, starting, coming into existence

Dare take unto herself the glory of what she calls my incipient cure?

Inadvertent

Not intentional; not on purpose; not conscious

If they put out an inadvertent message the client didn't intend, everybody's fired