Unit 5 secondary definitions

afford

(v.) to give or provide something

brook

(v.) to tolerate

commute

(v.) to replace one punishment with a less severe one

conviction

(n.) a strong belief or opinion

elliptical

(adj.) indirect

flower

(v.) to develop fully; to reach a very good state

gravity

(1) (n.) extreme importance and a cause for worry; (2) (n.) serious behavior, speech, or appearance

minute

(adj.) very small or insignificant

pronounced

(adj.) very noticeable or strongly expressed

tax

(v.) to make difficult or excessive demands on

bedlam

(n.) a place of noisy confusion

boycott

(n.) the act of avoiding buying or using something, or dealing with someone, as a way to show disapproval

chauvinism

(n.) a strong and unreasonable belief that one’s own country, sex, or other group is better than others; prejudice

galvanize

(v.) to shock or excite, so as to inspire action

laconic

(adj.) using only a few words to say something

maverick

(n.) a person who does not behave or think like everyone else, but who has independent, unusual opinions

narcissism

(n.) the habit of admiring oneself too much, especially one’s appearance

nemesis

(1) (n.) someone or something that causes serious harm, especially as punishment; (2) (n.) a long-standing and formidable opponent

protean

(adj.) able to change quickly and easily

quixotic

(adj.) foolishly idealistic or impractic