Unit 4 Vocabulary

Question 1

Spurious

Answer 1

☹ (ˈsp(y)o͝ orēəs) adj. plausible but false; not being what it purports to be
Synonyms: bogus, fraudulent, sham, artificial, feigned
Example: “When you shop online and find a price that is too good to be true, assume it isn’t true before you pay bargain prices for an entirely spurious item.

Question 2

Inveterate

Answer 2

☹ (inˈvedərət) adj. having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change
Synonyms: engrained, entrenched, chronic, incorrigible, compulsive Example: “Jared is an inveterate liar who becomes so lost in his web of lies that he can’t always remember the truth.”

Question 3

Elegy

Answer 3

☹ (ˈeləjē) n. a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
Synonyms: lament, requiem, dirge
Example: “A celebrated poet was chosen to write an elegy for the people who died in the terrorist attack.”

Question 4

Candor

Answer 4

± (ˈkandər) n. the quality of being honest and straightforward
Synonyms: frankness, bluntness, forthrightness, directness
Example: “The politician won the election because voters found his candor and honesty refreshing.”

Question 5

Tome

Answer 5

± (tōm) n. a large, scholarly book
Synonyms: opus, volume, publication
Examples:
“A friend of mine writes such lengthy emails that even he refers to them as minor tomes.”
“Galileo, Copernicus, and other brilliant minds from the Scientific Revolution wrote ground-breaking tomes that shaped our understanding of the universe.”

Question 6

Vicissitude

Answer 6

☹ (vəˈsisəˌt(y)o͞ od) n. a variation in circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant
Synonyms: downturn, alteration, shift, fluctuation, mutability
Example: “During a recession, most of us experience financial vicissitudes until the market recovers.”

Question 7

Reprobate

Answer 7

± (ˈreprəˌbāt) - n. an unprincipled person (sometimes used humorously or affectionately) adj. unprincipled (sometimes used as a humorous or affectionate approach)
Synonyms:
n. rogue, rascal, miscreant, villain, scoundrel
adj. shameless, wicked, roguish, degenerate
Example: “My college roommate was a wacky, unpredictable, misguided reprobate, but she never failed to make me laugh!”

Question 8

Diaphanous

Answer 8

☺ (dīˈafənəs) - adj. light, delicate, translucent; (☹ insubstantial, vague)
Synonyms: gossamer, sheer, silken, feathery
Example: “Overhead, the diaphanous white sash of the galaxy sweeps over the sky.” (Alan Lightman, Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine)

Question 9

Exigent

Answer 9

± (ˈekzəjənt) - adj. demanding immediate attention; requiring precise accuracy
Synonyms: insistent, clamant; exacting
Examples:
“The drought made water an exigent concern for the regional government.” “The exigent demands of the music took a toll on her voice.”

Question 10

Alacrity

Answer 10

☺ (əˈlakrədē) - n. liveliness and eagerness Synonyms: eagerness, willingness, readiness
Example: “As you can imagine, I accepted the promotion with alacrity.”

Question 11

Hapless

Answer 11

☹ (ˈhapləs) – adj. unfortunate and deserving pity
Synonyms: cursed, doomed, unlucky, pathetic, pitiable, miserable
Example: “The hapless passengers were stranded at the airport for three days after the sudden onset of the bomb cyclone.”

Question 12

Portent

Answer 12

☺ (ˈpôrˌtent) - n. a sign of something about to happen Synonyms: prognostication, presage, prediction, prophecy
Example: “The vivid sunset was a portent of excellent weather in the wake of the storm.”

Question 13

Pernicious

Answer 13

☹ (pərˈniSHəs) – adj. exceedingly harmful especially in a gradual, subtle way
Synonyms: deleterious, malign, malevolent, injurious
Examples: “When you are in a pernicious mood, I’d rather spend the day somewhere else!”

Question 14

Construe

Answer 14

± (kənˈstro͞ o) – v. to make sense of; assign a meaning to; to interpret in a particular way
Synonyms: interpret, understand, see, read
Antonym: misconstrue
Example: “We should never construe quiet people as unfriendly. Some individuals simply don’t enjoy talking as much as others.”

Question 15

Calumny

Answer 15

☹ (ˈkaləmnē) - n. a false accusation of an offense; the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone’s reputation
Synonyms: slander, defamation, denigration, obloquy
Example: “Although Jason doesn’t like Henry, he is not the type of person to spread a calumny about his enemy.”

Question 16

Sanguine

Answer 16

☺ (ˈsaNGɡwən) – adj. confidently optimistic and cheerful; optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation
Synonyms: positive, cheerful, bullish, hopeful, upbeat
Example: “You can tell by the big smile on her face that she has a sanguine personality!”

Question 17

Staid

Answer 17

☹ (stād) – adj. characterized by dignity and propriety
Synonyms: sedate, respectable, unadventurous
Examples: “My staid professor was not impressed when I told a joke about my missing assignment.”

Question 18

Fetter

Answer 18

☹ (ˈfedər) n. a shackle for the ankles or feet; v. to restrain with manacles particularly around the ankles
Synonyms: shackle, hobble, manacles
Example:
“The budget crisis is a fetter to the city’s plan for repairing the highways.”
“A metal fetter restrained the convicted murderer as he was led slowly into court for sentencing.”

Question 19

Impetuous

Answer 19

☹ (imˈpeCH(o͞ o)əs) - adj. characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
Synonyms: impulsive, rash, hasty, incautious, reckless
Example: “Students sometimes act with impetuous haste as they work through the vocabulary test. Unfortunately, they make careless mistakes that impact their grades.”

Question 20

Arbitrary

Answer 20

± (ˈärbəˌtrerē) - adj. based on or subject to individual discretion or preference; determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
Synonyms: capricious, whimsical, unpredictable; discretionary
Examples:
“Although the rule was arbitrary and ridiculous, Jack was punished for breaking it.” “Jim made a sudden and arbitrary decision to buy a new Corvette, and we were all shocked but envious.”