Vocabulary Unit 4

1. Vocabulary Unit 4

2. Articulate – Adj or Verb • Able to express oneself clearly and effectively • To become an articulate writer, you must write regularly.

3. Artifact – Noun (Thing) • Object made by human beings • The pyramids of Egypt are the largest artifacts left by an ancient civilization.

4. Artisan – Noun (Person) • Manually skilled worker; craftsman as opposed to artist • Potters are artisans who can earn a good living by making things that are both useful and attractive.

5. Ascendancy – Noun (Idea/Place) • Controlling influence; domination • Lord Blackwood attempted to have ascendancy over the English people, but Sherlock Holmes thwarted him.

6. Ascetic –Noun (Person),Adj • Person who leads a life of self-denial • The monk led an ascetic life, spending most of his time in prayer and eating only as much as necessary to stay alive.

7. Aspire – Verb (used w/o object) • Seek to attain; long for • Ms. Feagin aspires to become a world famous Broadway star!

8. Assiduous - Adj • Earnest and persistent in undertaking a task • Bruce is certainly no mathematical genius, but through assiduous work he managed to get a 620 on the SAT math test.

9. Assuage – Verb (used w/ object) • Ease or lessen; satisfy; soothe • The dying soldier’s pain was assuaged by the morphine that the nurse gave him.

10. Astute - Adj • Wise; shrewd • If people were astute, they would not stay up so late when they have to be at work so early in the morning.

11. Attribute – Noun (Idea) or Verb • Explain; relate to a cause (verb) • Quality or characteristic (noun) • Small children often attribute to their moms and dads qualities that are almost super-human.

12. Audacious - Adj • Daring; bold • She made an audacious choice when she showed up in a neon green pant suit to prom.

13. Austere - Adj • Severe or stern; simple and unornamented • Monasteries are austere places designed to encourage prayer and reflection.