Vocabulary Unit 3

Abominate(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for

Ex: It is a shame that there are still people today who abominate other people because of race or religion.

Acculturation(n.) the modification of the social patterns,

traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend

Syn: adaptation Ex: Acculturation is

a slow process for people when they move to a new area and begin to experience a new way of life.

Adventitious(adj.) resulting from chance rather than an

inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

Ex: We became lab partners through an adventitious draw of straws.

Ascribe(v.) to assign or refer to (as a cause or

source), attribute

Ex: The U.S. can ascribe its strong relationship with Great Britain to a century of peace and like-minded world views.

Circuitous(adj.) roundabout, not directSynonyms: indirect, meandering, winding

Ex: Dad opted for the more circuitous route to the Grand Canyon, stopping off to visit such fascinating sights as the World’s Largest Ball of String.

Commiserate(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow

for, share a feeling of distress

Ex: The saying “misery loves company” is a metaphorical way of reminding us that we all appreciate having someone to commiserate with during hard times.

Enjoin(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course

of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

Ex: When our mother enjoins us to clean the house, we do it; the consequences of disobeying her rules are too stringent!

Expedite(v.) to make easy, cause to progress fasterSynonyms: accelerate, facilitate, speed up

Ex: Because I wanted my brother to drive me to the mall in time for the movie, I offered to expedite his chores by pitching in to help him.

Expiate(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert

Ex: If you feel truly sorry for your wrongdoing, you should try to expiate the situation.

Ferment(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or

turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

Ex: The city found itself in a ferment when its baseball team won the World Series the second time in a row.

Inadvertent(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of

attention; unintentional, accidental

Ex: Thousands of car accidents are caused by people who inadvertently swerve into the wrong lane when they become distracted by something like talking on a cell phone or texting.

Nominal(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too

small to be considered or taken seriously

Ex: It was worth it to hire someone else to rake the leaves; my time and aching back is definitely worth a nominal fee to the ten-year old boy next door!

Noncommittal(adj.) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a

clear position or to say yes or no

Ex: Jan’s noncommittal “yeah, maybe” led me to believe she had no firm plans to go to the party with me.

Peculate(v.) to steal something that has been given

into one’s trust; to take improperly for one’s own use

Synonym - embezzle

Ex: How many CEO’s and company presidents need to peculate money from their employees before America gets tough on white collar crime?

Proclivity(n.) a natural tendency (especially of human

character or behavior)

Ex: Children have the proclivity to throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want.

Sangfroid(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying

circumstancesSynonyms: poise, self-assurance, aplomb

Ex: Celebrities must demonstrate sangfroid when dealing with “wardrobe malfunctions” like Spongebob’s ripped pants.

Seditious(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having

the purpose of overthrowing an established government

Ex: The rebels’ seditious behavior made visiting Mexico too dangerous during spring break last year.

Tenuous(adj.) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity

or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

Ex: Your argument for why you should get a car on your sixteenth birthday is tenuous at best; just because you are old enough to drive doesn’t mean you’ve earned the right!

Vitriolic(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or

biting (like a strong acid)

Ex: Vitriolic remarks that hurt others are not constructive; try being sensitive when offering criticism.

Wheedle(v.) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some

desired end

Ex: Wheedling your way into the boss’s good graces will only get you so far; having the skills to do your job well will impress him far more.