Lesson 21 Flashcards
ancillary (an´ si lə rē) adj.
subsidiary; providing assistance
The senior executive of the firm hired an ancillary worker to do his filing and typing.
- august (o gəst´) adj.
marked by grandeur and awe
The coronation of the queen was an august occasion that was full of pomp and circumstance.
syn: regal; magnificent ant: pedestrian; common
semblance (sem´ bləns) n.
an outward likeness in form or appearance
The suspect’s alibi was only a partial semblance of the truth.
syn: similarity; copy
autodidact (o tō dī´ dakt) n.
a self-taught person
With accomplishments in law, politics, and literature, Abe Lincoln is perhaps the most famous autodidact in American history.
syn: self-made
asinine (as´ ə nīn) adj.
exhibiting poor judgment or intelligence
Jonah revealed his asinine tendencies when he rudely insulted the rabbi.
syn: foolish; boorish ant: sagacious
albeit (ôl bē´ ət) conj.
although; even though
It was rainy and miserable all summer, albeit good for the “crops.
conduit (kän´ dōō ət) n.
a means by which something is transmitted
The telephone wire must be plugged into the conduit for the computer to connect to the Internet.
syn: channel
philatelist (fə lat´ əl ist) n.
one who collects stamps
As a prominent philatelist, Dr. James has over ten thousand stamps in his collection.
indefatigable (in di fat´ i gə bəl) adj.
tireless; incapable of being fatigued
Dave was so passionate about his work that he seemed almost indefatigable to the rest of the group.
ant: exhausted
martyr (mär´ tər) n.
one who suffers or sacrifices for a cause
Martin Luther King became a martyr for the civil rights movement when an assassin killed him.
indiscretion (in dis kresh´ ən) n.
a minor misdeed
If it is scandalous enough, a single indiscretion can cost a politician his or her career.
syn: peccadillo; transgression
osmosis (äz mō´ səs) n.
a gradual, often unconscious, process of absorption
Living in a foreign country allowed Jerry to learn its language by osmosis.”
picayune (pi kē yōōn´) adj.
of very little value; trivial
Mike’s picayune collection of toy trucks had more sentimental value than the few dollars it would get at auction.
syn: worthless; cheap ant: valuable
dossier (dos´ yā) n.
a file of detailed information on a person or subject
The police had a large dossier on the man accused of the theft.
syn: record
behest (bi hest´) n.
a command or urgent request
Tyler grudgingly obeyed his mother’s behest to come home early after the school dance.
syn: demand”
