Vocabulary List #13

The example sentences come from the vocabulary list.

Cantankerous

Cantankerous

(-) (adjective) crabby; grouchy; irritable; argumentative

Ex: The___old lady tried to break in line at the grocery store, but the checker yelled, “Nothin’ doin’ you old biddy! Get to the back of the line!”

Capacious

(+) (adjective) spacious; roomy; ample

Ex: My rich friend’s___basement held a full-size basketball court.

Circuitous

(-) (adjective) roundabout; indirect; meandering; rambling

Ex: The cab driver took a___route to the hotel, thereby racking up an additional $12.85 on the meter!

Circumscribe

(-) (verb) to draw a line or boundary around; hence, to limit or restrict

Ex: I try not to___my child’s activities too much, but I did forbid her to tattoo her emu.

Compendium

(noun) a summary or abstract of a book or of data; a list

Rather than tell her friends the whole history of Yugoslavia before the big exam, Madge simply created a___of important dates and events and offered to sell it to them.

Consensus

(+) (noun) a common decision, philosophy, or sentiment among a group of people; accord; a pact

Ex: Though we debated for many days, we finally reached___on the very complex issue of which fast food restaurant has the best fries.

Corroborate

(verb) to support another’s testimony or claim

Ex: Though you say many other students will___your Elvis sighting, I’m still very skeptical.

Decorum

(+) (noun) good manners; propriety; etiquette; breeding; conformity to societal norms

Ex: ___before a boxing match dictates that a fighter shake his opponent’s hand before beating him to a bloody puddle.

Defile

(-) (verb) to desecrate, besmirch, befoul, sully, dirty, or tarnish a person, object, place, or idea

Ex: Darn these kids these days: They___everything sacred. We never did that when we were kids!

Demonstrative

(+) (adjective) openly displaying feelings

Ex: Dad was never___when it came to affection: In fact, when he felt affectionate, he’d just stop yelling at us for a few minutes.

Demystify

(+) (verb) to simplify or explain a seemingly complex topic; to remove mystery or intrigue from a misunderstood phenomenon

Ex: Try as she might, my physics teacher could not___Einstein’s Theory of Relativity for me-possibly because my physics teacher could not understand it herself.

Desolate

(-) (adjective) barren and uninhabited; usually said of a landscape or abandoned habitat

Ex: We gazed at the___streets of the city of McAdam and wondered, “What happened to all the people? Where are the dogs?”

Desultory

(-) (adjective) lacking a plan, purpose, or direction; random

Ex: My teacher said my essay was___. I said it was “stream of consciousness.” He said it seemed more like “stream of unconsciousness.”

Dilatory

(-) (adjective) tending to cause delay, often intentionally

Ex: The referee noticed the coach’s___tactics and charged the team with a “delay of game” penalty.

Disabuse

(+) (verb) to free someone of false ideas; to enlighten

Ex: I owe a great debt to my English teacher who___ed me of my belief in the “Good Grade Fairy”; I learned that, due to the shortage of Tooth Fairies, the job of Good Grade Fairy has been vacant for some years.

Disdain

(-)

1. (verb) to despise, reject, or dislike

2. (noun) a strong dislike

Ex: My childhood___for brussels sprouts has turned into an adult, informed, passionate, fervent, mature___for brussels sprouts.

Disingenuous

(-) (adjective) giving a false appearance of honesty; insincere; craftily dishonest

Ex: Tammy, the seemingly sweet babysitter, proved___, for she stole all seven of the McCardle’s children as well as much of the family’ software.

Disparage

(-) (verb) to belittle; to put down

Ex: I don’t wish to___my opponent, but she is a lousy senator and she dresses funny.

Diversion

(noun) an amusing distraction or bit of fun

Ex: The blown fuse provided a___during the otherwise boring electrocution.

Divulge

(verb) to reveal information, usually of a hidden or sensitive nature

Ex: The gentleman who offered me the hubcaps would not___how he’d gotten them; hence, I politely refused.

Docile

(adjective) agreeable, tame, and easily managed, usually said of people or animals

Ex: Our daughter, who was___as a child, turned into a rebellious, crazed high school junior!

Dogmatic

(-) (adjective) stubbornly adhering to rules or beliefs

Ex: My first period teacher-that___son-of-a-gun-LC’d me though I’d only been late exactly fifteen times! Why wouldn’t he give me a break? Why? Why? Fifteen isn’t very many, and I was planning on promising to try not to be late anymore.

Eclectic

(adjective) inclusive of a variety of styles, sources, influences, or philosophies

Think of an___approach to psychotherapy

Ex: I belong to the Church of Yipp-ee, an___religion that celebrates holidays from every other faith in the world; so for us, everyday is a holiday and a festival and another chance to whoop it up. Wanna party?

Effervescent

(+) (adjective) bubbly; hence, having a lively, exuberant personality

Ex: We thought Dave was a naturally___guy, but we discovered his___resulted from his addiction to Blowhole Cola-which is half sugar, half caffeine.