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Vocabulary Unit 1. Approbation (n): praise, approval. My teacher smiled with approbation when I showed her I had finished my homework on time. NOTE: Approbation is often preceded by a preposition. i.e. with approbation, of approbation, in approbation.
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Approbation (n): praise, approval • My teacher smiled with approbation when I showed her I had finished my homework on time. NOTE: Approbation is often preceded by a preposition. i.e. with approbation, of approbation, in approbation.
Assuage (v): to make easier, relieve, quiet or calm. To put an end to. • You cannot assuage your guilty conscience unless you are really sorry for what you said. • If you want to assuage her grief, be kind to her.
Coalition (n): a combination, union or merger for some specific purpose • The students formed a coalition to try and convince the school administration to let them dress like rabbits.
Decadence (n): decline; decay or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence • Oscar Wilde's novel, A Portrait of Dorian Grey, is widely recognized as a portrayal of turn-of-the-century decadence in Victorian England. • To eat that chocolate cake all by yourself is pure decadence. • Alternate forms: decadent (adj), decadently (adv)
Elicit (v): to draw forth, bring out from some source • Her sad story elicited many expressions of condolence. • I tried to elicit information from the new student, but he could not understand me.
Expostulate (v): to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning • I expostulated with her all day, but she is set on going to that awful movie.
Hackneyed (adj): used so often as to lack freshness or originality • Many common sayings become hackneyed when we say them too often • There is nothing new under the sun; politicians just keep repeating the same hackneyed promises with no intention of doing anything new.
Hiatus (n): a gap, opening, break(in the sense of an element missing) • My favorite TV shows are all on hiatus and there are no new episodes to watch. • The hiatus in construction noise told me something was wrong.
Innuendo (n): a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory or inappropriate sense) • She did not welcome his constant innuendo because it offended her. • The competition's innuendo that the team cheated was not good sportsmanship.
Intercede (v): to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement • When the two friends started fighting so badly, he interceded before they could hurt each other's feelings any worse. • Intercession (n): the act of interceding • Intercedent (n): one who intercedes.
Jaded (adj): wearied, worn out, dulled • By the time she was made vice-president of the company, she was a jaded and cynical woman.
Lurid (adj): causing shock, horror, or revulsion • The lurid display of sex and violence in the movie trailer made me decide never to go see it.
Meritorious (adj): worthy of praise • Her work with the orphans earned her much approbation from the general public and an award for meritorious service to the community.
Petulant (adj): peevish, easily irritated and upset • Her petulant behavior makes her difficult to like. • Petulance (n): the act of being petulant
Prerogative (n): a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence • It is not your prerogative as a student to come to class late.
Provincial (adj): an outlying area; perception of being limited or old-fashioned(n): a person with a narrow point of view; someone who comes from an outlying area • Until everyone realized how smart he was, he was dismissed as being a provincial nobody. • Her provincial upbringing makes her just a little annoying to be around because she refuses to change her ways even a little.
Simulate (v): to make a pretense of, imitate • The computer game The Sims is a simulation of human life. • Actors can simulate emotions they don't really feel.
Transcend (v) to rise above or beyond, to exceed • The student transcended all expectations for her success. • A work of art can transcend time. • Transcendence (n) • Transcendental (adj)
Umbrage (n): shade cast by trees; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion • She had to be careful of what she said for fear they might take umbrage and walk away.
Unctuous (adj): excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to given an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety • His unctuous praise just made me feel dirty. • Politicians make unctuous promises to get elected.