Home Page   Back to Vocab Page

01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08  09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32

Vocab 21

abstemious            adj          Sparing and temperate in the use of food and drink. Sheila was not actually trying to lose weight, but because of her naturally abstemious habits at the table, she dropped five pounds.

adjudicate              v           To judge the quality or value of something. We took the band to a festival where the professional judges adjudicated our performance. We were naturally rated superior in all respects.

antithesis               n            To total opposite of an idea or a position (anti = against + thesis = idea) Good is the antithesis of evil.

beneficent             adj          Doing or performing good deeds. (Note the difference between "fic" meaning to do or to make, and "vol" meaning will or desire in "benevolent"). We honored the great philanthropist for his many beneficent deeds and his charitable contributions.

benevolent            adj           Having a good will or desire, but not necessarily acting upon it. I felt that I could always talk to Myron; he was one of the kindest and most benevolent people I've ever known.

cant                      n              The specialized language of a profession or discipline--usually words and phrases not understood by the layman. I will speak to you directly and simply today; I will not try to hide my ideas behind the cant of my engineering background.

colloquial              adj            Characterized by informal speech (loq = word). In a formal paper you must use formal language such as "burst" and "Mother," not colloquial terms such as "bust" and "Ma."

cosmopolitan        adj          1. Pertinent or common to the whole world Global warming is an issue of cosmopolitan importance. 2. Having constituent elements from all over the world or from many parts of it. We are still amazed at the sophistication of the cosmopolitan societies of ancient Athens and Egypt. 3. So sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world or conversant with many spheres of interest: Dr. Livingstone was a cosmopolitan traveler, equally at home in Stroudsburg or in Syria.

facsimile              n                An exact copy of a thing, esp. on paper (A shortening of this word gives us "fax" as in "fax machine"). Send in this coupon or a reasonable facsimile and get $10.00 off your next purchase of a Rolls Royce.

irascible               adj            Irritable and unpleasant, temperamental The old man who lives alone at the end of the street is so nasty and irascible that he throws shoes at little children walking by with their puppies.