Vocabulary Unit 10
acquiesce (v) to accept without protest to agree or submit Many parents will acquiesce, or give in, to their screaming child in public places, in order quiet the tantrum.
allure (v) to entice, tempt or attract (n) a strong attraction; the power to attract Like a moth to flame, anything related to Doctor Who allures, or attracts, me and commands my attention.
askew (adj) twisted to one side, crooked Frank Sinatra, the ultimate in 1960s cool, often wore his hat askew, or slightly tilted, toward the right.
blithe (adj) cheerful, lighthearted casual, unconcerned Though it would be nice, a blithe, or lighthearted and unconcerned, personality is difficult to achieve. As humans, we tend to worry and care about what others think of us too much to be truly blithe spirits.
contentious (adj) quarrelsome, inclined to argue Living up to his name, Grumpy Dwarf tends to be contentious, or quarrelsome, with the other dwarves at every opportunity. He argues and complains about everything.
covet (v) to desire something belonging to another Both Emerson and Thoreau cautioned us against coveting, or desiring, what others have. Instead, we should work for what we want and make it happen.
crestfallen (adj) discouraged, dejected, downcast At some point, every one of us will experience disappointment. During those times when we are crestfallen, or discouraged, we must get back up and try again.
disheveled (adj) rumpled, unkempt, disorderly Robert Pattinson made the disheveled, or unkempt, look en vogue. However, I would not recommend it for us mere mortals. Always try to look your best.
exponent (n) one who advocates, speaks for, explains or interprets Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders claims to be an exponent, or one who advocates, for the working class people of this country.
garrulous (adj) given to much talking, annoyingly chatty One of the stereotypes about women is that we are all garrulous, or annoyingly chatty. However, I have met plenty of men who are capable of prattling away until I want poke holes in my eardrums.
insuperable (adj) incapable of being overcome invincible, insurmountable One of my best friends in the world is fighting cancer right now. Some days, she feels it is insuperable, or insurmountable. On those days, I remind her that cancer can be beaten because she can t be.
lamentable (adj) to be regretted or pitied This political season has become a lamentable display of buffoonery, childish rhetoric and outrageous grandstanding that is to be regretted as a national joke.
misnomer (n) an unsuitable or misleading name Thirty five years after its launch, MTV s name is now a misnomer, or a misleading name. What was once the place to go for music videos is now nothing but a cesspool of reality television.
profess (v) to state or affirm openly to state belief in to claim or pretend Most people see their vote as a private matter and choose not to profess, or affirm openly, their choice for President.
respite (n) a period of rest or relief Without question, the beach is my choice for a place of respite, or rest and relief, from all of life s pressures.
retribution (n) a repayment a deserved punishment Jail time is one form of retribution, or deserved punishment, that our justice system uses to force convicted criminals to repay their debt to society.
sinuous (adj) winding, having many curves lithe and flexible In Italy, you will find some of the most sinuous, or winding, roads in all of the world.
sonorous (adj) full, deep or rich in sound impressive in style Using his wand and a spell in place of a microphone, Dumbledore could amplify his voice, making it sonorous, or full and deep, enough to be heard across the Black Lake.
vanguard (n) the foremost part of an army the leading position in any field The vanguard, or foremost part of an army, must be comprised of strong fighters, as they will face the initial test of battle, when the enemy is strongest, as well.
wastrel (n) a wasteful person a good-for-nothing A good Rationalist would have seen Rip Van Winkle as a wastrel, or a good-for-nothing, based on his habit of avoiding work at all costs.