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Power Words 21. adroit. Adj. cleverly skillful; expert in the use of one’s hands Mr. Woodard is an adroit badminton player; he has never lost a game. . bowdlerize. V. to remove or change passages of a written work considered vulgar or objectionable
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adroit • Adj. cleverly skillful; expert in the use of one’s hands • Mr. Woodard is an adroit badminton player; he has never lost a game.
bowdlerize • V. to remove or change passages of a written work considered vulgar or objectionable • When they bowdlerizedHuck Finn, the censors eliminated large sections of dialogue.
cognizant • Adj. aware or knowledgeable • He was cognizant of the difficulty.
Mnemonic (ni-mon-ik) • Adj. intended to help the memory • N. something intended to help remember I developed a mnemonic while studying for my biology test.
nepotism • N. Favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship • She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm.
prosaic • Adj. commonplace or dull; unimaginative or matter-of-fact. • His instructor offered a more prosaic explanation for the increased student interest—grades were due in a week.
Respite (res-pit) • N. a brief period of relief; a break from difficulties • The soldiers in The Things They Carried marched through the oppressive heat of Vietnam without respite.
Ribald (rib-uhld) • Adj. Vulgar or indecent • Although my brother enjoyed the ribald humor of the film, I was offended.
zenith • N. the highest point; the peak • At the zenith of his career he played on the national team.