Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Vocabulary #9


 

aficionado: (noun) an enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan

The Steelers aficionado could name every player’s name and number on the team.

 

browbeat: (verb) to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully

The gang had to browbeat many of the businesses into giving them money.

 

commensurate: (adj.) equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards

Her 5 day suspension is commensurate of the rule breaking she did.

 

diaphanous: (adj.) very sheer and light; almost completely transparent

The diaphanous curtains allowed light to flow into every corner of the house.

 

emolument: (noun) profit derived from an office or position or from employment; a fee or salary 

The emolument the official received was more than enough to cover his debt.

 

foray: (noun) a quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor; (verb) to make such a raid

The theif’s foray left the mansion a mess.

 

genre: (noun) a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition

My dad’s favorite genre is science fiction.

 

homily: (noun) a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse

In the Poisonwood Bible the preacher had many homities.

 

immure: (verb) to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison, to seclude or isolate

The immured girl felt cut off from the outside world.

 

insouciant: (adj.) blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky

Jane was insouciant which frustrated her goal driven mother.

 

matrix: (noun) a mold; the surrounding situation or environment

The matrix in which he grew up in was not very agreeable

 

obsequies: (noun) funeral rites or ceremonies

Obsequies are meant to honor the dead.

 

panache: (noun) a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display

The socialite’s panache was undeniable.

 

persona: (noun) a character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes

Her positive persona lit up the room.

 

philippic: (noun) a bitter verbal attack

I cannot stand when teachers give students a philippic.

 

prurient: (adj.) having lustful desires or interests

His prurient tendencies concerned his religious mother.

 

sacrosanct: (adj.) very sacred or holy; set apart or immune from questioning or attack

The sacrosanct temple had remained in tact for thousands of years.

 

systemic: (adj.) of or pertaining to the entire body; relating to a system

The rash was systemic and covered every inch of skin.

 

tendentious: (adj.) intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan

The tendentious interview disgusted the public who saw right through it.

 

vicissitude: (noun) a change, variation, or alteration

Some people like vicissitude every now and then.

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