Berwick Vocab List 7

Profane

(adj.) a not having to do with religion; irreverent; blasphemous, inappropriate (v.) to abuse something sacred After many years of being very religious, it was unlikely that Rebecca Nurse committed such ______ actions, like murdering children.

Impertinent

(adj.) being disrespectful; improper or rude The puppy's ______ behavior towards guests warranted him a scolding from his owner.

Venerable

(adj.) deserving of respect because of age or achievement The pope is __________ because he was chosen by God to be a representative of himself on earth.

Congenial

(adj.) getting on well with others; agreeable, pleasant Anna's _______ nature made anybody feel comfortable talking with her.

Atrocious

(adj.) horrible, very bad The doctor's _______ handwriting resulted in the pharmacist preparing the wrong drug.

Ostentatious

(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy When guests came over to the billionaire's house, they expected a showy, _______ display, but were shocked to be greeted by a humble home.

Sagacious

(adj.) wise; showing good judgment and foresight The wise and ________farmer sensed an incoming storm, so he brought all of his animals inside the barn.

Summons

(n) an order to appear in front of a judge John received a _______ to go to court because his neighbor complained about his late night, loud parties.

Countenance

(n) facial expression or look Sarah's joyful ________ reflected her happy disposition.

Variance

(n.) a difference between what is expected and what actually occurs The _______ between the style of the author's newest book and all of her old books left readers curious and unsatisfied.

Meditation

(n.) a mental exercise for producing relaxation or heightened awareness. _______ is a mental exercise that helps to destress after a long day.

Disposition

(n.) a person's general or natural mood; tendency The girl's happy _______ made people perceive her as friendly and therefore, she had many friends.

Remonstrance

(n.) a presentation of grievances or complaints The toddler demonstrated her ___________ with her father's denial of a puppy by throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the store.

Emblem

(n.) a symbol, sign, token Her husband offered her a bouquet of flowers as an ______ of his desire for forgiveness.

Accord

(n.) agreement, harmony; (v.) to agree, be in harmony or bring into harmony; to grant, bestow on The family could not reach _______as to what they should order for appetizers, so they had to ask the waitress for more time.

Pathos

(n.) an element that evokes pity, compassion, or any emotion Many advertising companies use the element of_______ to appeal to people's more sensitive feelings.

Derision

(n.) ridicule, mockery The ______ and mockery the comedian received on stage was discouraging, but he persevered and eventually became a successful comedian.

Censure

(n.) strong disapproval or official reprimand; (v.) to issue such disapproval or reprimand When the man received a _____ from his boss, he thought he was going to lose his job.

Perturbation

(n.) the act of agitating or being disturbed For somebody with OCD, even a minor change in their schedule would cause them ________.

Oratory

(n.) the art of public speaking While some lose coherence when drunk, Arthur gained impressive _________ skills and people loved hearing his blatantly honest speeches. Politicians are famous for their impressive oratory abilities.

Iniquity

(n.) wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act Devout Catholics pray that their _______ be forgiven, so that they can go to heaven.

Mitigate

(v.) to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity The police officer _________ the domestic abuse case by calming the aggressive man down.

Undulate

(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form The surf instructors asked students to _______ on land to prepare for the waves on the water.

Repose

(v.) to rest; lie; place; (n.) relaxation, peace of mind, calmness The goal of meditation for some is to reach a state of ________ and calmness.

Imbue

(v.) to strongly influence as if by dyeing Pumpkin spice flavored treats _______ the fall season on anybody who comes in contact with them.