Comprehensive Vocabulary Analysis and Contextual Study Guide

Concepts of Expertise, Aesthetics, and Artistic Evaluation

• Connoisseur

  • Definition: An expert judge in matters of taste.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe an individual who can identify the quality of a wine after only a single sip.
  • Selection: Expert.

• Hues

  • Definition: A color or shade.
  • Contextual Application: Observed in photography where impressive lighting produces various shades on a subject.
  • Numerical/Technical Detail: Produced via lighting effects in a photograph.

• Drab

  • Definition: Lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe wall colors that require repainting due to a lack of vibrancy.

• Immaculate

  • Definition: Perfectly clean, neat, or tidy; free from flaws or mistakes; perfect.
  • Contextual Application: Used in reference to a person's public image being damaged by rumors on social media.

• Exquisite

  • Definition: Extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate.
  • Contextual Application: Referring to the design of a building made of corals that captures the attention of guests.

• Elan

  • Definition: Energy, style, and enthusiasm.
  • Contextual Application: Displayed by a main protagonist while acting out a part.
  • Selection: Enthusiasm and style.

Terms of Social, Professional, and Verbal Interaction

• Elicited

  • Definition: To evoke or draw out from someone in reaction to one's own actions or questions.
  • Contextual Application: A Human Resources (HR) memo that drew out "invectives" (insults or harsh criticism) from employees, or a facade that drew out admiration from guests.

• Explicit

  • Definition: Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.
  • Contextual Application: Teacher's instructions that were so detailed everyone understood them perfectly.

• Loquacious

  • Definition: Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.
  • Contextual Application: A bird (specifically mentioned as being at a hotel lobby) that greets guests.

• Lambasted

  • Definition: To criticize (someone or something) harshly.
  • Contextual Examples:
    • A person criticized for their stance on same-sex marriage.
    • A General criticized for attempting to intervene with a dismissal order.

• Provoked

  • Definition: To stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone.
  • Named Example: Lebron provoked Curry to a duel.
  • Selection: Challenged.

• Slogan

  • Definition: A short and striking or memorable phrase used in advertising.
  • Contextual Application: Used by a newly-opened store to attract customers.

Human Personality, Traits, and Dispositions

• Magnetic

  • Definition: Exhibiting or relating to magnetism; in a social context, it refers to being very attractive or drawing others in.
  • Contextual Application: A personality so strong it attracts significant attention from neighbors.

• Irascible

  • Definition: Having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
  • Contextual Application: A department superior who is prone to shouting over minor mistakes.

• Blithe

  • Definition: Showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper; happy or joyous.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe a disregard for a superior's comments.
  • Selection: Cheerful indifference.

• Flamboyant

  • Definition: Tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness.
  • Contextual Application: A personality that easily attracts interest from others in a neighborhood.

• Penchant

  • Definition: A strong or habitual liking for something or a tendency to do something.
  • Contextual Application: A fondness for stylish clothes combined with a love for acting.

• Impeccable

  • Definition: In accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe manners that draw admiration from co-workers.

• Obnoxious

  • Definition: Extremely unpleasant.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe offensive revelations made by an individual named Jason.

Legal, Official, and Formal Classifications

• Mandatory

  • Definition: Required by law or rules; compulsory.
  • Named Application: The conduct of a Neuro-psychiatric examination.

• Invoked

  • Definition: To cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
  • Named Example: Johny Sins invoked the presumption of regularity in the performance of duty.

• Amnesty

  • Definition: A pardon of some group behavior.
  • Contextual Application: Granted by the government to mutinous soldiers for humanitarian reasons.

• Abet

  • Definition: To encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular, to commit a crime or other offense.
  • Contextual Application: Legal penalties for those who help or encourage a criminal.

• Culprit

  • Definition: A person who is responsible for a crime or other misdeed.
  • Selection: Suspect.

• Proxy

  • Definition: The authority to represent someone else, especially in voting.
  • Contextual Application: A representative sent to a wedding entourage in place of an occupied individual.

• Recipient

  • Definition: A person or thing that receives or is awarded something.
  • Contextual Application: An employee receiving the "Model Employee of the Year" award.

Environmental, Situational, and Spatiotemporal Terms

• Milieu

  • Definition: A person's social environment.
  • Contextual Application: Suggested that a change of environment is necessary for health recovery.

• Placid

  • Definition: (Especially of a place or stretch of water) calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.
  • Contextual Application: A river circling a virgin forest where one can swim peacefully.

• Bailiwick

  • Definition: One's sphere of operations or particular area of interest; the district or jurisdiction of a bailie or bailiff.
  • Contextual Application: A specific city (e.g., Pasay City) where a candidate is predicted to win an election.

• Hamlet

  • Definition: A small settlement, generally one smaller than a village.
  • Contextual Application: A small settlement located at the foot of a great mountain.

• Facade

  • Definition: The face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street or open space.
  • Contextual Application: Often refers to the front of a building that draws admiration for its beauty.

• Visage

  • Definition: A person's face, with reference to the form or proportions of the features; a facial expression.
  • Contextual Application: Enhanced by the use of baby powder and lipstick.

• Fortnightly

  • Definition: Happening or produced every $2$ weeks.
  • Contextual Application: The frequency at which a cooking magazine is released to the market.

Risk, Difficulty, and Physical States

• Perilous

  • Definition: Full of danger or risk; exposed to imminent risk of disaster or ruin.
  • Contextual Examples:
    1. A zigzag road dangerous for small vehicles.
    2. The way to Mindoro being dangerous for small bancas.

• Herculean

  • Definition: Requiring great strength or effort; (of a person) muscular and strong.
  • Contextual Application: Installing a heavy company logo on the $25th$ floor of a building.

• Ordeal

  • Definition: A painful or horrific experience, especially a protracted one.
  • Contextual Examples:
    • Experience at the hands of kidnappers.
    • Training experience for Scout $237$ during escape and evasion exercises.

• Debilitating

  • Definition: (Of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm; tending to weaken something.
  • Contextual Application: A disease that affects a previously healthy gym instructor.

• Unscathed

  • Definition: Without suffering any injury, damage, or harm.
  • Contextual Application: Freeing oneself from captors without any injury.

• Vanquished

  • Definition: Defeat thoroughly.
  • Contextual Application: Retreating troops defeated easily due to unfamiliar terrain.

• Debris

  • Definition: Scattered pieces of waste or remains; wreckage.
  • Contextual Application: Scattered fragments of a building wrecked by a powerful earthquake.

Wealth, Prosperity, and Social Status

• Auspicious

  • Definition: Conducive to success; favorable; being a sign of future success.
  • Cultural Context: In Feng Shui, a water feature in front of a house is considered a sign of future success.

• Scion

  • Definition: A descendant of a notable family; (botany) a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting.
  • Contextual Application: Refers to a descendant of a wealthy patriarch or a wealthy family (e.g., Mr. Wham-Os).

• Amass

  • Definition: Gather together or accumulate over a period of time.
  • Numerical Detail: Gathering great wealth and several properties over a period of $10$ years.

• Palatial

  • Definition: Resembling a palace in being spacious and splendid.
  • Contextual Application: A mansion in Makati's millionaires' district where a couple celebrated their $25th$ wedding anniversary.

• Splurged

  • Definition: Spend (money) freely or extravagantly.
  • Contextual Application: Spending a pension lump sum on clothes and accessories.

• Paramount

  • Definition: More important than anything else; supreme; having supreme power.
  • Contextual Application: Giving a project the highest level of importance to finish ahead of a deadline.

General Actions and Behaviors

• Flaunts

  • Definition: Display (something) ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration.
  • Contextual Application: Displaying a new dress to attract the attention of customers in a cafe.

• Saunters

  • Definition: Walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort.
  • Contextual Application: Relaxed walking in a forest park to refresh the mind.

• Frolic

  • Definition: A playful action or movement.
  • Contextual Application: Children playing cheerfully on a beach in Boracay.

• Basks

  • Definition: Lie exposed to warmth and light, typically from the sun, for relaxation and pleasure.
  • Contextual Application: Used metaphorically for Miss Universe enjoying international recognition.

• Connive

  • Definition: Secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, wrong, or harmful) to occur.
  • Contextual Application: Prisoners plotting secretly to design an escape attempt.

• Recalled

  • Definition: Officially order (someone) to return; brings back into one's mind.
  • Contextual Application: Ordering products (e.g., contaminated children's milk) back from the market.

• Solicitude

  • Definition: Care or concern for someone or something.
  • Contextual Application: Motherly care shown by volunteer workers toward orphans and wayward children.

• Horoscope

  • Definition: A forecast of a person's future.
  • Contextual Application: Found in newspapers, often consulted for predictions about the future.

• Unparalleled

  • Definition: Having no parallel or equal; exceptional.
  • Contextual Application: Used to describe the exceptional beauty of a lake that attracts thousands of tourists.

• Profane

  • Definition: Not respectful of orthodox religious practice; irreverent; relating to that which is secular rather than religious.
  • Contextual Application: Activities noted as incongruous for a man known to be religious.