Advancing Vocabulary Skills Ch. 1-6

Kay used to be friendly, but since her promotion, she has become so cold that she has _______(e)d former coworkers.

estrange

Mei Lin was _____ when the college that was her first choice accepted her.

euphoric

ubiquitous

existing everywhere at the same time

vicarious (adj)

experienced through the imagination; not experienced directly

funny

facetious

liber, liver

free

to spend or waste a little at a time

fritter

rudimentary (adj)

fundamental; necessary to learn first

discretion (n)

good judgement or tact in actions or speaking

outgoing

gregarious

To many people, Mozart's works represent the ________ of eighteenth-century music.

zenith

a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion

dissident

impetuous

done; acting in a hurry

despondent (adj.)

downhearted; hopeless; overwhelmed with sadness

to decorate; beautify by adding details

embellish

embellish

to decorate; beautify by adding details

scoff (v)

to make fun of; mock; refuse to take seriously

estrange

to make unsympathetic or unfriendly; alienate

subsidize

to pay for; to support financially; provide a grant or contribution

juxtapose

to put side by side; to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast

venerate (v)

to respect deeply; revere

regress

to return to an earlier, generally worse, condition or behavior

squelch (v)

to silence or suppress; crush

relinquish

to surrender (something); give (something) up

fritter

to waste; to spend or waste a little at a time

collaborate (v)

to work together on a project; cooperate in an effort

In our neighborhood, litter is________- the sidewalks are ankle-deep in trash. We need a cleanup campaign.

ubiquitous

ambiguous

unclear; able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear

to honor

venerate

indirect

vicarious

voc, vok

voice

lethargy

weariness; a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness; sluggishness

collaborate

Several writers and editors have _____________________ed in preparing this vocabulary text, sharing their knowledge and skills.

scoff; resilient

"Everyone gets ___________ed at now and then," Lynn said. You just have to be _______________ enough to bounce back after a facetious remark."

lethargy; sporadic

"Spring fever" isn't really a detriment to health, but it often includes ________: people just want to sleep. Also, attention to work is interrupted off and on by a(n) _______ need to daydream.

an extremist

zealot

charlatan

A fake; a person who falsely claims to have some special skill or knowledge

proliferation

A rapid spread or increase

dexterous

Although he has arthritis in his hands, Phil is very _________________.For example, he builds detailed model airplanes.

instigate

An English captain named Robert Jenkins ____________d a war in 1738 by displaying his pickled ear, which he said had been cut off by a Spanish patrol. The horrified British declared war on Spain--the "War of Jenkins' Ear."

fritter; inane

Why do you want to _______ away your money week after week on tickets for silly movies that all the critics agree are _______?

instigate; retrospect

At the time of the American Revolution, many people viewed those who _______ed the rebellion as troublemakers. In ____________, however, we view them as heroes.

sensory

Because our ______________ experiences are interrelated, what we taste is greatly influenced by smell.

squelch; zealot

Being illiterate until the age of 20 didn't _______ George Washington Carver's spirit. He went on to become a great botanist--and a _______about using peanuts, from which he made such products as ink, shampoo, and linoleum.

squelch

Decades of communism in Eastern Europ didn't _______________ the desire for freedom. As soon as they could, the people in these countries began to form democracies.

rudimentary; collaborate

Even though their knowledge of carpentry was only ________________, the boys ________________ed on building a treasure chest.

despondent

For months after his wife died, Mr. Craig was ________________. No matter how hard they tried, his family and friends could not cheer him up.

optimum

For the weary traveler, _________________ hotel accommodations include a quiet room, a comfortable bed, and efficient room service.

rudimentary

I'm so used to adding and subtracting on a calculator that I've probably forgotten how to do those ________________ mathematical calculations on my own.

impetuous; berate

I'm trying to be less _____, but I still sometimes act on impulse. Later, in retrospect, I always _____ myself for not using better judgement.

infallible; relinquish

If people were _____, we could _____ our erasers, our correction tape or fluid, and the "delete" key.

vicarious

If you can't afford to travel, watching videos and visiting tourist websites can give you the _______________ experience of traveling in foreign countries.

illicit

Illegal

dormant

Inactive; alive but not actively growing, as if asleep

subsidize; embellish

Local businesses _______ (e)d our club's Christmas party for the homeless, so we were able to afford a special meal as well as decorations to ________ the room.

venerate; despondent

Many people who ______________ed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., were ___________ when he was killed, but then courageously vowed to carry on his work.

gregarious

My ________________ brother loves parties, but my shy sister prefers to be alone.

facetious

My boss always says, "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps." I hope he's just being _________________.

irrevocable

Not able to be canceled or undone; irreversible

juxtapose; dissident

On the cover of the news magazine, two pictures were __________(e)d; those of a young _____ and the elderly ruler he was opposing.

zenith; euphoric

Our neighborhood basketball team reached its _______ when it won the citywide championship. The local businesses that had subsidized the team were delighted, and the players themselves were _______.

estrange; regress

Patrick ______(e)d his wife when she wasted their money on gambling and ostentatious clothes. Since their separation, their young daughter has _______(e)d to infantile behavior.

resilient

Plant life is __________________. For example, a few weeks after the Mount St. Helens volcano erupted in Washington in 1980, flowers were growing in the ashes.

ubiquitous; maudlin

Since my father died, reminders of him seem _________. I know I'm being ______, but everywhere I look, I see something that makes me cry.

discretion

Small children haven't yet developed __________________. They ask embarrassing questions like "When will you be dead, Grandpa?"

detriment

Smoking is a _________________ to your health. It's estimated that each cigarette you smoke will shorten your life by one and a half minutes.

zealot

The Crusaders were Christian _____________s during the Middle Ages who left their homes and families and went off to try to capture the Holy Land.

venerate

The guests at our dean's retirement banquet made it clear that they _____________ed her; when she entered the room, everybody rose.

ostentatious

The lobby of that hotel is ________________, with fancy furniture, thick rugs, and tall flower arrangements. The guest rooms upstairs, however, are extremely plain.

scrupulous

The senator promised to run a ________________ campaign, but her ads were filled with lies about her opponent's personal life.

ambiguous; inadvertant

This week's episode of one television serial had a(n) _______ ending: we don't know whether one of the characters survives his heart attack or dies. In retrospect, I don't think this was _______. I believe the producers want to keep us guessing so we'll tune in again next week.

diverge

To branch off in different directions from the same starting point; to become different

precipitate

To cause to happen quickly, suddenly, or sooner than expected

corroborate

To confirm; strengthen with further evidence; provide proof of

berate

To criticize or scold harshly

hoist

To lift, especially with some mechanical means, like a cable

disseminate

To spread or scatter widely; distribute

scoff

Tony ____________ed at reports that a hurricane was coming until he saw the winds knocking down trees and overturning cars.

retrospect

When I took Ms. Klein's writing course , I thought she was too demanding. In _____________ though, I realize that she taught me more than anyone else.

zealot (n)

a person totally devoted to a purpose or cause

dissident

a rebel; a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion

resilient (adj)

able to recover quickly from harm; illness, or misfortune

able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear

ambiguous

ante-, anti-

before

"I know I was late," Liz said, "but you could have pointed it out quietly. You didn't have to _____ me."

berate

optimum (adj)

best possible; most favorable; most desirable

scrupulous (adj)

careful about moral standards; conscientious

to act as a team

collaborate

depressed

despondent

a disadvantage

detriment

skilled

dexterous

good sense

discretion

sensory (adj)

having to do with seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling

facetious (adj)

humorous; playfully joking

Joyce isn't usually _____, but last week she had a sudden urge to try out her nephew's skateboard. Everyone in the office has already signed the cast on her broken wrist.

impetuous

unintentional; accidental

inadvertant

without sense or meaning; foolish

inane

"I don't expect you to be ______,"the boss said, "but I don't want you to make the same mistakes over and over."

infallible

to cause

instigate

sporadic

irregular; happening now and then; occasional

to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast

juxtapose

-cide

kill

a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness

lethargy

vit, viv

life

Uncle Antonio becomes ______ when he talks about his dear old mother in Italy. Tears also come to the eyes of all who listen.

maudlin

ostentatious (adj)

meant to impress others; flashy

infallible

not capable of error or failure; unable to make mistake

inadvertent

not intended; unintentional; accidental

ideal

optimum

showy

ostentatious

extra-

outside

euphoric

overjoyed

People in bombed-out, war torn cities sometimes _____ to more primitive ways of life.

regress

When Dad lost his job, he had to _______ his identification card, his employee parking permit, and the key to his desk.

relinquish

de-

removal

quick to recover

resilient

looking back

retrospect

retrospect (n)

reviewing the past; considering past events

basic

rudimentary

to laugh at

scoff

ethical

scrupulous

of the senses

sensory

inane

silly; without sense or meaning; foolish

dexterous (adj)

skillful in using the hands or body

dorm

sleep

gregarious (adj)

sociable; enjoying and seeking the company of others

detriment (n)

something that causes damage, harm, or loss

happening now and then; occasional

sporadic

to hold back

squelch

to support financially; provide a grant or contribution

subsidize

maudlin

tearfully sentimental; overly emotional

zenith

the highest point or condition; peak

ject

throw

chron, chrono-

time

instigate (v)

to bring about by moving others to action; stir up