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Vocabulary Unit 2Vocabulary Unit 2

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Ameliorate (v): to improve, make better; correct a flaw or shortcoming.

A kind word can ameliorate a bad day.

Syn: amend, better, assuage Ant: worsen, aggravate, exacerbate*

*This is a VERY common word!

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Aplomb (n): poise, self-confidence

She accepted the award with aplomb.

He managed the difficult situation with aplomb, and never got angry.

Syn: composure, self-possession, levelheadedness

Ant: confusion, embarrassment, abashment

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Bombastic (adj): pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words that conceal a lack of ideas.

His bombastic speech sounded nice, but he didn't actually say anything at all.

Mr. Bean dances to Mr. Bombastic Syn: inflated, highfalutin', high-flown,

pretentious Ant: unadorned, simple, plain, austere

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Callow (adj): without experience, unsophisticated, immature Today's callow young people do

not understand real hardship.

Syn: green, raw, unfledged, inexperienced, immature

Ant: mature, grown-up, polished, sophisticated

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Drivel (n): foolish or aimless speech; nonsense (v): to speak or think foolishly

I can't stand listening to any more of his bombastic drivel!

Syn: balderdash, hogwash, tommyrot Ant: common sense

Something that is written or said that does not mean anything.

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Epitome (n): the perfect example of something

He is the epitome of the perfect doctor—compassionate and smart.

Alt Form: epitomize (v) She epitomizes the perfect

students. Her homework is always done on time and she never fails to pay attention

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Exhort (v): to urge strongly, advise earnestly

A good teacher exhorts her students to study hard.

Alt. Form: exhortation (n) Her constant exhortations to improve

made the child very unhappy. Syn: entreat, implore, beg, encourage Ant: discourage, advise against, deprecate

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Ex officio (adj, adv): by virtue of holding a certain office

The CEO of the company was ex officio a member of the board of directors as well.

Students at ESLI are ex officio students at TAMUCC, allowed the same use of facilities and resources as any other student.

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Infringe (v): to violate, trespass

Some argue that the national health care mandate infringes on our freedom of religion by requiring companies to provide access to birth control.

Back up, please. You're infringing on my personal space!

Syn: encroach, intrude, impinge, poach Ant: stay in bounds

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Ingratiate (v): to try to get someone's good opinion by doing things you think they will like.

Trying to ingratiate yourself with the boss will only make people dislike you.

Alt forms: ingratiating (adj) Idiom: to suck up to

Syn: cozy up to, curry favor with Ant: alienate, humiliate oneself, mortify

oneself

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Interloper (n): one who goes where he or she is not wanted; an intruder

Conversation died when everyone noticed the interloper trying to listen in.

No one liked the ingratiating, unctuous interloper always following the boss around.

Syn: trespasser, meddler, buttinsky

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Intrinsic (adj): being part of the basic nature or character of something.

My daughter's paintings have an intrinsic value to me that has nothing to do with how much they are actually worth in money.

Idiom: sentimental value, in and of itself

Syn: immanent, organic Ant: extrinsic, external, outward

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Inveigh (v): to attack violently with words; to express strong disapproval

Don't inveigh against your fellow student unless you actually know and understand her.

Idiom: to curse out, to chew out

Syn: rail, harangue, fulminate, remonstrate Ant: acclaim, glorify, extol, praise

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Lassitude (n): weariness of mind or body On Friday, students' lassitude can

only be assuaged by the end of the school day.

Syn: fatigue, lethargy, torpor, languor Ant: energy, vitality, animation, liveliness

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Millenium (n): A period of a thousand years The new millenium started on

January 1, 2001.

Plural: millennia

Alt form: millennial (adj)

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Occult (adj): mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view(n): matters related to the supernatural

Many religions teach that dabbling in occult knowledge is dangerous.

Her interest in the occult got her attacked by zombies.

Syn: supernatural, esoteric, arcane Ant: mundane, common, public

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Permeate (v): to spread through, penetrate, soak through The bad smell permeated the

entire room. It rained so hard yesterday that

the damp permeated everything.

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Precipitate (v): to rain; to cause or make happen suddenly(adj): Characterized by haste; cursory(n): moisture (more correct: precipitation)

It precipitated all yesterday morning. Your precipitate speech was cruel

and unwelcome. Puddles are leftover precipitate.

Syn: (v) provoke or produce (adj) reckless, impetuous

Ant: wary, cautious, circumspect

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Stringent (adj): strict, severe; having a sharp or bitter taste Her stringent cleanliness kept

everyone healthy. Stringent laws keep the public

safe.

Syn: stern, rigorous, tough, urgent, imperative

Ant: lenient, mild, lax, permissive

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Surmise (v): to think or believe without much evidence; to guess(n): likely idea that lacks definite proof I don't know for sure, but I surmise

the truth is something bad. My surmise is that she doesn't like

me.

Syn: (v) infer, gather (n) inference, presumption