Mr. Hoffman Vocab

THE vocab

Aug 1: Spindrift (Day) Noun

Sea spray; fine wind-borne snow or sand

Aug 2: Highfalutin (Day) Adjective

Pretentious, fancy; used to describe pretentious people or language without making the person using it sound pretentious.

Aug 3–9: Splendiferous (Week)

Extraordinarily or showily impressive

Aug 3: Mitigate (Day) Verb

Reduce severity/intensity

Aug 4: Élan (Day) Noun

Vigorous spirit or enthusiasm

Aug 5: Colloquial (Day) Adjective

Used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation; unacceptably informal

Aug 6: Torpor (Day) Noun

A state of mental and motor inactivity with partial or total insensibility; apathy, dullness

Aug 7: Invidious (Day) Adjective

of an unpleasant or objectionable nature;

Aug 8: Nurture (Day) Noun

Help grow/develop/succeed; take care of

Aug 9: Anecdote (Day) Noun

A short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident.

Aug 10–16: Paraprosdokian (Week) Noun

Figure of speech where the final part of the sentence is unexpected.

Aug 10: Pedagogical (Day) Adjective

Relating to, or befitting a teacher or education.

Aug 11: Baptism of Fire (Day) Noun

Initial experience that is a severe ordeal (introductory ordeal)

Aug 12: Gnomic (Day) Adjective

Using short, cryptic sayings how the gnoms talk

Aug 13: Salvo (Day) Noun

A spirited attack; a sudden burst; a simultaneous discharge of two or more guns in military action or as a salute.

Aug 14: Vacuous (Day) Adjective

[sic] ,lacking intelligence or substance

Aug 15: Circumscribe (Day) Verb

To restrict or limit something, or to draw a geometric shape tightly around another shape

Aug 16: Zeugma (Day) Noun

Modifying words to make sense with only one word or apply differently to different words; The use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each word in a different sense (as "opened" in "opened the door and her heart to the stray kitten") or makes sense with only one word (as "rolling" in "rolling lightning and thunder")

Aug 17–23: Borborygmi (Week) Noun

The rumblings sound your stomach makes

Aug 17: Lackadaisical (Day) Adjective

Lacking life, spirit, or zest; lacking a daisical [sic]

Aug 18: Oxymoron (Day) Noun

Contradicting phrase or word (jumbo shrimp) (open secret)

Aug 19: Balmy (Day) Adjective

Warm, calm, and pleasant weather; foolish/irrational

Aug 19: Aegis (CNN) Noun

Control or guidance by an individual, group, or system; auspices, sponsorship; controlling influence; shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty that was associated with Zeus and Athena.

Aug 20: Divulge (Day) Verb

To make known (especially secret/private info).

Aug 21: Rigamarole (Day) Noun

a long, complicated, and annoying process, description, etc.

Aug 22: August (Day) Adjective

Describes someone or something marked by majestic dignity or grandeur

Aug 23: Prowess (Day) Noun

Someone’s great ability, skill, or talent for something specified

Aug 24-30: Novaturient (Week) Adjective

Seeking change

Aug 24: Expeditious (Day) Adjective

Fast/efficient; Formal word that is used to describe someone acting in a quick and efficient way, or something done in such a manner

Aug 24: Bicameral (unofficial CNN) Adjective

Two chambers

Aug 24: Bascule (CNN?) Noun

Counterbalanced by the principle of seesaw or weights

Aug 25: Tilde (Day) Noun

~; indicates nasality when above a letter; means approximately when independent

Aug 26: Devolve (Day) Verb

De-evolve; Gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state or to pass something such as power (figuratively roll down)

Aug 26: Delineate (CNN) Verb

To precisely describe or outline something in detail

Aug 26: Awry (CNN) Adverb or Adjective

Gone wrong; not according to plan

Aug 26: Whimsical (CNN) Adjective

Silly or playful (illogical in a positive way)

Aug 27: Southpaw (Day) Noun

Someone who is left handed (informal; especially of boxers and pitchers)

Aug 28: Cogent (Day) Adjective

Formal for something easy to understand and  believe; convincing