Focus on the goal. Voc. UNIT 13 Ms. B. Wulchak

1. Focus on the goal. Voc. UNIT 13Ms. B. Wulchak By Ashley DeGolier

2. ABSTRUSE • (adj.) – Extremely difficult to understand • Synonyms: Esoteric, Arcane, Recondite, Occult • Can you find the sum of algebraic fractions, or is that too abstruse? • Antonyms: Simple, • Straightforward

3. AFFRONT • (N.) – An open or intentional insult, a slight; • (V.) – To insult to one’s face, to face in defiance, confront • Synonyms: (N.) an insult, (V.) to insult • It takes patience to ignore someone who openly affronts you.

4. CANARD • (N.) – A false rumor, fabricated story • Synonyms: Hoax • Every year we hear the canard that half of the Seniors won’t graduate.

5. CAPTIOUS • (adj.) – Excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up • Synonyms: Faultfinding, nit-picking, carping • My 7th grade grammar teacher was so captious about correcting sentences that we had to stay in at lunch until we got them right. • Antonyms: Uncritical

6. COGNIZANT • (adj.) – Aware, knowledgeable, informed, having jurisdiction • Synonyms: Conscious, acquainted To understand the class’s subject matter, it helps to be awake, aware, and cognizant during Instructional time. • Antonyms: Unaware, unconscious, oblivious

7. CONTRITE • (adj.) – Regretful for some misdeed or sin, Plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent • Synonyms: Remorseful, rueful • We could tell that the student was not in the least contrite for his actions even after serving a suspension.

8. CYNOSURE • (n.) The center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct • Synonyms: Focus • When you fly into New York, you see that the Statue of Liberty is the cynosure of attention.

9. DECOROUS • (adj.) – Well behaved, dignified, socially proper • Synonyms: Seemly, becoming, tasteful • Because Prom should be a decorous occasion, the administration maintains a dress code and requires i.d.

10. DEIGN • (v.) – To think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do something • Synonyms: condescend, stoop, lower one’s self Ben told us that Ryan Sheckler would not deign to sign an autograph.

11. DESICCATED • (adj.) – Thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit of vitality; arid and uninteresting • Synonyms: Dehydrated, shriveled, parched If you are anemic, would you rather get more iron by eating liver and onions or by taking a desiccated liver pill? VS. • Antonyms: soggy, waterlogged, drenched

12. EFFICACY • (N.) – The power to produce a desired result • Synonyms: Effectiveness, potency, reliability • Antonyms: Ineffectiveness • She signed up for the pharmaceutical trial experiment to test the efficacy of the new drug.

13. ENGENDER • (V.) – To bring into existence, give rise to, produce, to come into existence • Synonyms: Generate, cause, create We tried to engender interest in joining Scouts by holding a Soapbox Derby. • Antonyms: Stop, deter

14. ETHEREAL • (adj.) – Light, airy, delicate, highly refined, heavenly • Synonyms: celestial, gossamer • Antonyms: Infernal, hellish, thick, heavy Children’s choirs are known for having angelic, ethereal voices.

15. FACADE • (N.) – The front or face of a building; a surface appearance • Synonyms: fake front, exterior, surface, mask, pretense • Although she felt miserable, she dressed up, wore make up, and put on a façade to hide her true feelings.

16. GHOULISH • (adj.) – Revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead • Synonyms: Fiendish, barbarous, monstrous • It is ghoulish to watch extraterrestrial creatures explode from the guts of walking corpses in the movie “Alien.”

17. INCONGRUOUS • (adj.) – Mismatched, not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible • Synonyms: discordant, jarring How incongruous it is to imagine a 6 ft. 7 in. basketball player wearing a wedding dress. • Antonyms: Compatible, harmonious, consistent

18. MACHINATION • (N.) – A crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end • Synonyms: Plot, Scheme, maneuver • The evil machinations that “Pinky and The Brain” came up with had one goal– to rule the world!

19. MESMERIZE • (V.) – To hypnotize, entrance, to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch, captivate • Paul McKenna mesmerizes volunteers from the audience by having them watch a crystal swing back and forth.

20. OPPROBRIUM • (N.) – Disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach • Synonyms: Infamy, dishonor, odium, shame • Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter suffered shame and opprobrium for having a child with a man who was not her husband. • Antonyms: Acclaim, honor, glory, renown

21. PUTATIVE • (adj.) – Generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred • Synonyms: Supposed, presumed, alleged, said to be Casey Anthony is the presumed and putative murderer of her daughter. • Antonyms: known, corroborated, confirmed

22. PREEMPT • (V.) – To substitute in that time or place HeadlineJanuary 8th, 2010: Lost Fans Rejoice! State Of The Union Won’t Preempt Season Premiere

23. SIMPLISTIC • (adj.) – Oversimplified • If you don’t like your job, the quick and easy solution of quitting seems like a simplistic way to deal with the issue. Quitting might cause more problems —like being unemployed and having to move out of your apartment.