Vocabulary

1. Vocabulary Week 1

2. SAT Words • abbreviate -- (v) to shorten, abridge • Are you reading the complete Julius Caesar or has it been abbreviated? • abstinence -- (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking • During Lent, people abstain from consuming certain foods and drink. • adulation -- (n) high praise • He received adulation for his brilliant new collection of poetry. • adversity -- (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events • Those who have experienced adversity are often stronger adults. • aesthetic -- (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts • The aesthetics of the building, such as the color and architectural style, are captivating.

3. Academic Vocabulary • alternate -- (n) a person who acts as a deputy or substitute; or (v) To pass back and forth from one state, action, or place to another • I alternate between states of sadness and joy when I binge eat chocolate. • alternative-- (n) the choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities • You must choose an alternative route to work, as your normal way has been blocked by fallen trees. • analysis -- (n) the separation of an intellectual or material whole into its constituent parts for individual study • Your analysis of the situation is correct; her behavior and his attitude combine to make an awful relationship. • analyze -- (v) to examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations • To analyze a poem, you must pull apart all of the pieces and see how they work together. • antonym -- (n) a word having a meaning opposite to that of another word • The antonym for happy is sad.

4. Vocabulary Week 2

5. SAT Words • amicable -- (adj) friendly, agreeable • Most people agree that Ms. Edwards is very amicable with those who are respectful. • anachronistic -- (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period • A clock chiming in the middle of Julius Caesaris anachronistic, as clocks did not exist in ancient Rome. • anecdote -- (n) short, usually funny account of an event • For homework, you will translate the entirety of Romeo and Juliet into an anecdote. • anonymous -- (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity • Many people post comments online anonymously so that nobody knows it was them who spoke. • antagonist -- (n) foe, opponent, adversary • Voldemort is the antagonist in Harry Potter.

6. Academic Vocabulary • benefit -- (n) something that promotes or enhances well-being; an advantage • One benefit of exercise is increased happiness and health. • beneficial -- (adj) producing or promoting a favorable result; advantageous • Running is beneficial for your lung health. • bolster -- (v) to support or prop up  • Your evidence bolsters your argument. • brief -- (adj) short in time, duration, length, or extent • That five minute meeting was brief! • buttress -- (v) something that serves to support, prop, or reinforce • The dilapidated building needs something to buttress its walls or it will collapse in on itself.

7. Vocabulary Week 3

8. SAT Words • arid -- (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring • The Mojave Desert is arid, as it never rains there. • assiduous -- (adj) persistent, hard-working • You must be assiduous in your training if you want to become an Olympic athlete. • asylum -- (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge • The United States sometimes offers asylum for political refugees from other countries. • benevolent -- (adj) friendly and helpful • Santa Claus is benevolent with the children of the world when he gives gifts to everybody for the holidays. • camaraderie -- (n) trust, sociability amongst friends • I hope that by the end of the semester, we will have built some camaraderie between us in the class.

9. Academic Vocabulary • categorize -- (v) to describe by labeling or giving a name to; characterize • You should categorize your kitchen items into groups of utensils, dinnerware, spices, and canned goods. • category -- (n) a class or group of things, people, etc., possessing some quality or qualities in common; a division in a system of classification • The categories for entry in the competition are cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and pies. • characterize -- (v) to describe the qualities or peculiarities of • In the final Harry Potter films, Ron is characterized by his increasing jealousy of Harry and shame for leaving. • cite -- (v) to mention or bring forward as support, illustration, or proof • Make sure you cite your sources of information when you write a research paper. • compare -- (v) to consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous; liken • Please make a list that compares the qualities of the puppy and its mother.

10. Vocabulary Week 4

11. SAT Words • censure -- (v) to criticize harshly • Paula Dean was censured for allegations of racist commentary and behaviors. • circuitous -- (adj) indirect, taking the longest route • I took a circuitous way to this career; first college, then travelling and a job in retail, and finally graduate school and a teaching career. • clairvoyant -- (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future • Professor Trelwaney is clairvoyant; she makes the prophesy that says Harry Potter is the chosen one. • collaborate -- (v) to cooperate, work together • Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z collaborated on this year’s summer tour. • compassion -- (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy • Have some compassion and feed that starving dog!

12. Academic Vocabulary • comparison -- (n) a statement or estimate of similarities and differences • Saying I am as bright as the sun is a brilliant comparison! • concept -- (n) something formed in the mind; a thought or notion • Which concept is confusing you: the idea that gravity affects all bodies or that gravitational force is different on other planets? • conceptualize -- (v) to form a concept or concepts of, and especially to interpret in a conceptual way • I cannot conceptualize a completed unit for this novel; I simply cannot figure out which skills would be taught using it. • conclude -- (v) to bring to an end; close • Kennedy concluded his inaugural address with one of the most famous lines in American rhetoric. • conclusion -- (n) the close or last part; the end or finish • The conclusion of your paper must finalize your argument.

13. Vocabulary Week 5

14. SAT Words • compromise -- (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides • My brother and I compromised; I got the bigger bedroom, but he got full front seat rights in the car on vacations. • condescending -- (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing • Do not be condescending or look down on others; for all you know, they will be your future boss! • conditional -- (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract • You passing my class is conditional on you completing all class work and working hard. • conformist -- (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs • People who follow trends blindly are conformists. • congregation -- (n) a crowd of people, an assembly • When you visit the Lincoln Memorial, you will see a congregation of many diverse people.

15. Academic Vocabulary • construct -- (v) to create • I want to construct a more effective engine, one that runs on water rather than gasoline. • contrast -- (v) to show differences when compared • In contrast to her twin’s blue dress, Amy wore a red dress. • convey -- (v) to communicate or make known; impart • I must convey my deepest sympathies for your loss. • decline -- (n) a downward movement; or (v) To express polite refusal; or (v) To cause to slope or bend downward • What is the major cause of recent economic decline? • I must decline your offer and accept somebody else’s. • describe -- (v) to give an account of in speech or writing • I will describe her face to you, feature by feature.

16. Vocabulary Week 6

17. SAT Words • convergence -- (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together • Finding $100 and learning that my friend did not have to work was a convergence of events proving we needed to buy tickets to an upcoming music festival. • deleterious -- (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental • Smoking is deleterious to your cardiac and pulmonary health. • demagogue -- (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice • Julius Caesar was, for a time, viewed as a demagogue in ancient Rome. • digression -- (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument • Most of my conversations are series of digressions as I cannot stay focused on one topic for too long! • diligent -- (adj) careful and hard-working • I am a diligent student because I am never late to class, my homework is always complete and in on time, and I study well in advance for tests.

18. Academic Vocabulary • description -- (n) a statement or an account characterizing and representing something • Your description included the criminal’s hair and eye color, but you left out his height and body size. • difference -- (n) the quality or condition of being unlike or dissimilar • The primary difference between my twin brother and me is that he has blue eyes and I have brown eyes. • differentiate -- (v) to perceive or show the difference in or between; discriminate • To differentiate between the triplets, teachers assigned them color-coded armbands. • dissimilar -- (adj) unlike; different • These two pies are dissimilar; one has fresh, sweet apples, while the other has sub-par, frozen fruit in it! • dominant -- (adj) exercising the most influence or control • In biology, the dominant gene is the one we see; for example, brown eyes is a dominant gene, and thus they are more common than the recessive blue eyes.

19. Vocabulary Week 7

20. SAT Words • discredit -- (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace • Rumors are meant to discredit people’s reputations. • disdain -- (v) to regard with scorn or contempt • I look at people who do not read the news with disdain; how can one be an informed adult if he or she is unaware of what is happening in the news? • divergent -- (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point • Our beliefs are divergent, as you believe that all dogs are ugly and I believe all dogs are adorable! • empathy -- (n) identification with the feelings of others • When she broke her pinky, I empathized with her because I had broken both of mine in middle school. • emulate -- (v) to imitate, follow an example • I try to emulate my role models because they have set such a good example for me.

21. Academic Vocabulary • elaborate -- (v) to express at greater length or in greater detail • Would you elaborate on the basic idea you expressed and tell me more about the plan? • eliminate -- (v) to get rid of; remove • People eliminate health risks when they exercise regularly. • evaluate -- (v) to examine and judge carefully; appraise • The boss evaluates her employees regularly, checking for effectiveness and skill in the workplace. • explain -- (v) to define; expound • Please explain that idea further. • expose -- (v) to make visible • I want to expose corrupt politicians by telling the public all about what I know.

22. Vocabulary Week 8

23. SAT Words • enervating -- (adj) weakening, tiring • The humidity and heat of North Carolina summers is enervating; by 4 pm I am usually exhausted! • enhance -- (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity • Reading frequently enhanced your vocabulary. • ephemeral -- (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting • Teenage romance is often ephemeral, as the politics of high school relationships and personal identity are hard to navigate. • evanescent-- (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image • The ghost was an evanescent figure, its face appearing one moment and then fading away the next. • exasperation -- (n) irritation, frustration • I can feel my exasperation rising as I look out at my students who haven’t done their homework.

24. Academic Vocabulary • factor -- (n) one that actively contributes to an accomplishment, result, or process; or (v) To figure in • One factor of my academic success was my consistent drive to study. • You must factor in wind resistance when calculating airplane arrival time. • formulate -- (v) to express in systematic terms or concepts • I cannot formulate a complete thought today; it is all coming out a jumbled mess! • function -- (n) the action for which a person or thing is particularly fitted or employed; or (v) To have a duty or perform a specific action • My function as a teacher is to educate and inform young people so that they can survive in the real world. • Teachers function as role models for students. • generate -- (v) to bring into being; give rise to • The film generated a huge, positive response from critics. • highlight -- (v) to make prominent; emphasize • I intend to highlight his shortcomings by explaining all of his poor choices.

25. Vocabulary Week 9

26. SAT Words • exemplary -- (adj) outstanding, an example to others • This paper is exemplary; in fact, I am going to hang it on the wall for others to read and emulate! • extenuating -- (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors • When considering whether to try somebody for a crime or not, the police and district attorney consider any extenuating circumstances that might have lead to the crime itself. • florid -- (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate • The architecture and complex designs on the church wall are florid and over-the-top; they distract me! • fortuitous -- (adj) happening by luck, fortunate • Winning the lottery would be a fortuitous event, especially if you were in serious debt. • frugal -- (adj) thrifty, cheap • In order to save money, one must be frugal and question every purchase he or she makes.

27. Academic Vocabulary • hypothesis -- (n) a tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation hypothesize • My hypothesis is that gravity affects all bodies in space. • hypothesize -- (v) to form a hypothesis • I hypothesize that gravity affects all bodies in space. • identify -- (v) to name or recognize • Can you identify this species? • illustrate -- (v) to clarify, as by use of examples or comparisons • To illustrate my point about gravity, I will do an experiment in front of you. • incline -- (n) a slope; or (v) to be disposed to a certain preference, opinion, or course of action • This incline is a very steep hike! • I am inclined to agree with your statement, as I have made the same observations.

28. Vocabulary Week 10

29. SAT Words • hackneyed -- (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse • The proverb “slow and steady wins the race” is so hackneyed; everybody has heard it at some time or other. • haughty -- (adj) arrogant and condescending • The wealthy woman gave off a haughty air, and refused to speak to anybody who was not well-dressed. • hedonist -- (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal • Certain ancient societies valued hedonism, and had whole community eating and drinking events. • hypothesis -- (n) assumption, theory requiring proof • My hypothesis is that dumping garbage into that river will ruin the ecosystem of the lake at its end. • impetuous -- (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking • I purchased those concert tickets impetuously, as I did not think about my need to pay for my vacation too!

30. Academic Vocabulary • increase-- (v) to make greater or larger • I have increased the prize winnings from $10 to $100. • indicate -- (v) to state or express briefly; or (v) to signify or represent • The frequent use of stream-of-consciousness writing indicates the author’s rapid state of mind. • infer -- (v) to conclude from evidence or premises • When I see an empty box with crumbs, I can infer that you ate my cookies! • inference -- (n) the act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence • I made the inference that you ate my cookies when I saw you next to the empty box of crumbs. • interact -- (v) to act on or with others • You must learn how to interact successfully with peers by using proper manners and being kind to others.

31. Vocabulary Week 11

32. SAT Words • impute -- (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group • Ditzyness is often imputed to teenage girls, but I have definitely had some ditzy male students! • incompatible -- (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together • Oil and water are incompatible and do not mix with each other. • inconsequential -- (adj) unimportant, trivial • The fact that you stole 50 pencils rather than all of them is inconsequential; what matters is that you stole at all. • inevitable -- (adj) certain, unavoidable • Death is inevitable. • integrity -- (n) decency, honesty, wholeness • One must maintain his or her integrity by being kind, truthful, and altruistic.

33. Academic Vocabulary • interpret -- (v) to explain the meaning of • I interpret the poem not as a literal description of a lemon, but a metaphor for childbirth. • interpretation -- (n) an explanation or perception • My interpretation of the Constitution is that I have a legal right to start a revolution if the government abuses its powers. • investigate -- (v) to examine in great detail • Sam Spade investigates crimes by seeking out every detail that could possibly be connected to the case. • judge -- (v) to form an opinion about • I judged you as silly when I saw you walking around with a toilet seat around your neck. • judgment -- (n) the formation of an opinion • I formed my judgment that you are stubborn when you refused to see a movie fifteen minutes later than planed.

34. Vocabulary Week 12

35. SAT Words • intrepid -- (adj) fearless, adventurous • One must be intrepid to visit Spain with no knowledge of the language and no friends to act as guides. • intuitive -- (adj) instinctive, untaught • The way he was able to calm the terrified dog is an intuitive gift; despite no formal veterinary training, all animals are immediately relaxed in his presence. • jubilation -- (n) joy, celebration, exultation • When I received my college acceptance letter, I leapt and cheered with jubilation. • lobbyist -- (n) person who seeks to influence political events • Lobbyists for different interest groups schmooze with major political figures in order to gain favor for those whom they represent. • longevity -- (n) long life • I wish for longevity, so I may meet my great-grandchildren.

36. Academic Vocabulary • label -- (n) a descriptive term or group name; or (v) to identify and classify • Please affix a label with your name and student ID number on the outside of the folder. • Please label your test booklet with your name and student ID number. • locate -- (v) to find • The EOC will ask you to locate the author’s argument in his or her writing. • maintain -- (v) to argue; or (v) to keep up or preserve • Katniss maintained all along that the government of Panem was corrupt; that is why she eventually rebels. • mechanism -- (n) a system of physical or philosophical parts that act like a machine • The mechanism of communication involves language, speech, writing, and performance. • method -- (n) a system of steps taken to achieve a goal • What method will you use to remove the polish: acetone remover or simply chip it away?

37. Vocabulary Week 13

38. SAT Words • mundane -- (adj) ordinary, commonplace • Going to the same place and doing the same thing on vacation every year is, in my opinion, rather mundane. • nonchalant -- (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited • Even though I saw my idol, I was very nonchalant about the experience and remained cool in his presence. • novice -- (n) apprentice, beginner • A beginner snowboarder is a novice. • opulent -- (adj) wealthy • Beverly Hills, CA is an opulent neighborhood, as many residents are multimillionaires. • orator -- (n) lecturer, speaker • To be a good orator, one must learn to speak clearly, loudly, and concisely.

39. Academic Vocabulary • modify -- (v) to make changes to something • Coaches modify training routines for athletes who are injured. • modification -- (n) a change • One modification to my training plan is that instead of lifting weights, I will have to do light stretching instead. • objective -- (n) goal or purpose; or (adj) impartial or unbiased • My objective in this lesson is that you will be able to define and use important vocabulary. • A judge is supposed to be objective, ignoring his or her personal feelings and considering the law instead. • obtain -- (v) to acquire or achieve • How might I obtain the proper documents to travel to France? • paraphrase -- (v) to shorten and reword another’s idea • Even though his novel was 600 pages long, the author was able to paraphrase the main idea into a few short sentences.

40. Vocabulary Week 14

41. SAT Words • ostentatious -- (adj) showy, displaying wealth • Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are ostentatious in that they wear easily identifiable labels and throw money around on many luxuries normal people cannot afford. • parched -- (adj) dried up, shriveled • Please give me some water; I am parched! • perfidious -- (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy • Severus Snape came across as perfidious, when in fact, he was the most loyal and devoted friend to Lily Potter of them all. • precocious -- (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age • It was clear she was precocious when she made a reference to Romeo and Julietin the fifth grade. • pretentious -- (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured • She has been acting so pretentious ever since that teacher told her that her essay was good enough to be published.

42. Academic Vocabulary • passage -- (n) a selection of reading material • Please read the passage and answer the questions about the selection. • perspective-- (n) a particular view or response to one’s personal experiences • As an immigrant from an oppressive, she has a unique perspective on what it means to be free. • positive -- (adj) good or successful • I need positive feedback on my project or I will cry. • predict -- (v) to suggest an event will occur before it occurs • Based on the radar, I predict the rain will be here within the hour. • primary -- (adj) first or most important • My primary goal is to teach you and everything else comes after that.

43. Vocabulary Week 15

44. SAT Words • procrastinate -- (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off • Do not procrastinate over the next two weeks; this project can’t be completed the night before it is due! • prosaic -- (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace • Twilight is prosaic and has no unique or exciting quality of its own. • prosperity -- (n) wealth or success • Her argumentative skills and legal knowledge have afforded her great prosperity as the top lawyer in Manhattan. • provocative -- (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement • Wearing only underwear in public is provocative and will definitely get you responses from passersby. • prudent -- (adj) careful, cautious • Be prudent when sipping that tea; it’s extra hot!

45. Academic Vocabulary • process -- (n) a method of dealing with a series of events (v) to count, understand, and analyze information or objects • What is the process in getting a passport; what steps should I take? • I cannot process all of this information, so please, one person at a time! • prohibit -- (v) to forbid • I prohibit you from cheating and if you do, there will be major consequences. • purpose -- (n) goal • Melville’s purpose in writing “Bartleby” is to teach us that civil disobedience is an honorable method of protest. • react -- (v) to respond to stimuli • Why do you react so violently to people patting your back? • reason -- (n) an explanation for previous action; or (n) logic; or (v) to consider or discuss an idea logically • What reasons or motivations do you have for punching her? • He refuses to listen to logic and it is impossible to reason with him about this matter!

46. Vocabulary Week 16

47. SAT Words • querulous -- (adj) complaining, irritable • When I do not get enough sleep and I haven’t had my coffee in the morning, I am querulous, so do not irk me! • rancorous -- (adj) bitter, hateful • Her review of the film was especially rancorous, as she herself had been dropped from its cast and she was jealous. • reclusive -- (adj) preferring to live in isolation • J.D. Salinger was notably reclusive; he hadn’t been spotted in public for years before he died. • reconciliation -- (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute • A reconciliation will be impossible if both opposite sides refuse to hear the other one’s grievances. • renovation -- (n) repair, making something new again • The kitchen renovation has been a nightmare because replacing the sink was much more expensive and difficult than expected and the cabinets arrived in the wrong color and size!

48. Academic Vocabulary • release -- (v) to let go of • When the Patriots released Aaron Hernandez, nobody else picked him up in light of his murder charge. • remove-- (v) to take away • I need to remove this eyeliner because it is burning my eyes. • resource -- (n) something that can be used as support or help • Do not ignore important resources like books and experts when doing research for your paper. • respond -- (v) to answer or react to • I felt sad when you did not respond to my text message last night. • secondary -- (adj) second; not first • Playing games is secondary to learning here at Hough!

49. Vocabulary Week 17

50. SAT Words • resilient -- (adj) quick to recover, bounce back • People say children are resilient because even when they fall and hurt themselves, they always seem to get back up and keep playing almost immediately. • restrained -- (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted • I have to restrain myself around chocolate, otherwise I will eat all of it in sight. • reverence -- (n) worship, profound respect • You should treat your teachers with reverence, as we have nothing but respect for you as well. • sagacity -- (n) wisdom • The sagacity of his statement was called into question when we realized that “just go for it” isn’t the most prudent advice. • scrutinize -- (v) to observe carefully • I scrutinize every detail of my writing to make sure it is perfect.