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Vocab 20
insurgency n a rising up against the established order, a rebellion or insurrection The anti-government protestors mounted an insurgency which they hoped would lead to a revolution, but the riot police stopped it.
maritime adj of or pertaining to the sea and the art of seafaring At the maritime museum, we were astonished by the many examples of ships and nautical equipment from the 17th century.
mitigate v to make less severe or harsh, to lessen the intensity of 1) Because you came forward and told the truth, I will mitigate your punishment from 10 years in prison to 5 years parole. 2) Finally, I have found a medicine that will at least slightly mitigate the severity of these terrible migraines.
pariah n one who is an outcast, considered by the rest of society to be untouchable After his friends found out he was a child molester, he was a pariah in his social circle--people would even cross the street to avoid bumping into him.
perspicacious adj having a keen and intelligent perception (not to be confused with "perspicuous," which mean clear in communicating) Francesca was particularly perspicacious, and her acute insights enabled her to pierce to the heart of the complicated novel almost at once.
pragmatic adj practical in thought and behavior, behaving according to what is reasonable He took a pragmatic approach to life, and he never worried about not achieving something that was out of his reach; he just did well what he could.
prolific adj 1) tending to produce a great deal Stephen King, one of the most prolific authors of this century, has produced over 2 dozen bestsellers. 2) tending to multiply rapidly and have many offspring Rural families in the 19th century tended to be prolific, as many children were considered an asset.
suppliant n/adj 1) One who seeks favor, especially in the church Anatole entered the Catholic church as a suppliant, hoping one day to become a priest. 2) Acting in an obsequious or prayerful manner Her suppliant attitude, suggesting that she was asking a favor rather than demanding a right, melted the emperor's heart.
viable adj 1) capable of living or existing We must transplant this heart within the next hour, while the tissue is still viable. 2) capable of being put into practice or done I suppose that, if we can't bicycle to the moon, taking a rocket is a viable alternative.
vicarious
adj
done at second hand, experienced through the eyes of another I
would be terrified to climb Mt. Everest, to say nothing of putting my life in
danger, but I experienced the vicarious thrill of the adventure by reading Into
Thin Air.