Lesson 4 Definitions/Sentences

abate

to reduce, lesson

abjure

to reject, renounce

bard

a poet, often a singer as well

cajole

to urge, coax

culpable

deserving blame

debacle

a disastrous failure, disruption

disgruntled

upset, not content

eclectic

consisting of a diverse variety of elements

eloquent

expressive, articulate, moving

emaciated

very thin, enfeebled looking

mercurial

characterized by rapid change or temperamentality

onerous

burdensome

pariah

an outcast

petulance

rudeness, irritability

querulous

whiny, complaining

recapitulate

to sum up, repeat

tenuous

having little substance or strength

tangential

incidental, peripheral, divergent

vindictive

vengeful

wallow

to roll oneself indolently; to becomeor remain helpless

abate

The rain poured down for a while, then

ABJURE

To prove his honesty, the President _____ the evil policies of his wicked predecessor

BARD

Shakespeare is often considered the greatest ____ in the history of theEnglish language

CAJOLE

(Fred's buddies ____ him into attending the bachelor party

CULPABLE

He was ______ of the crime, and was sentenced to perform community service for 75 years

DEBACLE

The elaborately designed fireworks show turned into a ______ when the fireworks started firing in random directions

DISGRUNTLED

The child believed that his parents had unjustly agrounded him, and remained ______ for a week

ECLECTIC

That bar attracts an _____ crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment banker

ELOQUENT

The priest gave such an _____ sermon that most churchgoers were crying

EMACIATED

My sister eats a lot of pastries and chocolate but still looks _____

MERCURIAL

Though he was widely respected for his mathematical proofs, the ______ genius was impossible to live with

ONEROUS

(My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the _______ mortgage payments

PARIAH

Following the discovery of his plagiarism, Professor Hurley was made a ____ in all academic circles

PETULANCE

The Nanny resigned after she could no longer tolerate the child's _______

QUERELOUS

(If deprivedof his pacifier, young Brendan becomes _______

RECAPITULATE

(Before the final exam, the teacher _____ the semester's material

TENUOUS

Your argument is very _______, since it relies so much on speculation and hearsay

TANGENTIAL

I tried to discuss my salary, but the boss kept veering of into ______ topics

VINDICTIVE

The ______ madman seeks to exact vengeance for any insult that he perceives is directed at him, no matter how small

WALLOW

(My roommate can't get over her breakup with her boyfriend and now just _______ in self-pity