Common Words IV

refute

prove to be false or incorrect

• No one could _____ his theories or propositions, and that is why he was esteemed by all his colleagues in the philosophy department.

provincial

characteristic of a limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated

• Maggie's enthusiasm about her high school teams seemed _____ to her college classmates, all of whom were following a nationally ranked college team.

acerbic

harsh in tone

• Most movie critics are _____ towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them as garbage.

decorum

propriety in manners and conduct

• "You will obey the rules of _____ for this courtroom or spend the night in a jail cell," said the judge to the prosecutor.

espouse

to adopt or support an idea or cause

• As a college student, Charlie _____ Marxism, growing his beard out and railing against the evils of the free-market.

tortuous

marked by repeated turns and bends; not straightforward

Because the logic behind McMahon's side of the debate was so _____, his audience came out either completely confused or, worse, feeling they'd been tricked.

apocryphal

being of questionable authenticity

• The web is notorious for sandwiching _____ stories between actual news.

largess

extreme generosity and giving

• Uncle Frank was known for his _____, so his nephew was sad when he did not receive a present for his birthday.

implacable

incapable of making less angry or hostile

• Win or lose, the coach was always _____, never giving the athletes an easy practice or a break.

petulant

easily irritated or annoyed

• Although the three year old was often described as mature for his age, he was _____ and whiny whenever his father forgot to remove the crust from his sandwiches.

indifference

the trait of seeming not to care

• In an effort to fight _____, the president of the college introduced a new, stricter grading system.

copious

in abundant supply

• In midsummer, there are _____ popsicle stands at the beach; in the winter, there are none.

implausible

describing a statement that is not believable

• The teacher found it _____ that the student was late to school because he had been kidnapped by outlaws on horseback.

blatant

without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

• Allen was often punished in school for _____ disrespecting teachers.

laudable

worthy of high praise

• To say that Gandhi's actions were ____ is the greatest understatement; he overthrew an empire without violence.

construe

interpreted in a particular way

• The author's inability to take a side on the issue was _____ by both his opponents and supporters as a sign of weakness.

adamant

refusing to change one's mind

• Civil rights icon Rosa Parks will forever be remembered for _____ refusing to give up her seat on a public bus--even after the bus driver insisted, she remained rooted in place.

bumbling

lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands

• Within a week of starting, the _____ new waiter was unceremoniously fired.

eradicate

to completely destroy

• I tried _____ the mosquitos in my apartment with a rolled up newspaper, but there were too many of them.

pundit

someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field

• Steven Pinker's credentials are unquestioned as a _____; he has taught at MIT and Stanford, teaches at Harvard, and has published a number of influential books on cognition, language, and psychology.

forthcoming

available when required or as promised

• The President announced that the senators were about to reach a compromise, and that he was eager to read the ____ details of the bill.

at ease in talking to others

• As a husband, Larry was not ______: if Jill didn't demand to know details, Larry would never share them with her.

pedantic

marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects

• Professor Thompson was regarded as an expert in his field, but his lectures were utterly ______, focused on rigorous details of the most trivial conventions in the field.

opaque

not clearly understood or expressed

• The meaning of the professor's new research was _____ to most people, so no one asked any questions.

aberrant

markedly different from an accepted norm

• When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his co-workers, the police had to come in to deal with his ______ behavior.

soporific

inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing

• Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a _____ effect.

underscore

give extra weight to (a communication)

• While the hiking instructor agreed that carrying a first aid kit could be a good idea under certain circumstances, he _______ the importance of carrying enough water.