IMPEL - RTSD
Transcript of IMPEL - RTSD
IMPEL • DEFINITION:
drive, force, or urge (someone) to do something
• ORIGIN: impel is from Latin…the root verb pello "to knock, drive“
The Declaration of Independence states that a group that feels the need to break free "should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
VERB
EMPIRICAL
• DEFINTION: based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
• ORIGIN: empirical comes from the Greek
verb to test or try (PEIRAW). FWIW, it has nothing to do with "empire" or "imperial" or "imperative.“
ADJECTIVE
Scientists rely on empirical data to confirm their theories.
ANIMUS • DEFINITION: a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will
The fans of the home team displayed animus towards anyone wearing the colors of the visiting team.
Synonyms Antonyms
Animosity Amity
Grudge Goodwill
“Bad blood” Acceptance
Bitterness Tolerance
NOUN
The former political prisoner felt animus
toward the government that had imprisoned
him, but he tried to show forgiveness.
JEJUNE
• DEFINITION: naïve, simplistic, and superficial; (of an idea or writing) dry or uninteresting
• Origin: Latin.
Inconsistencies of character and plot mar this
lively but jejune debut.
ADJECTIVE
CONCEIT CONCEDE • DEFINITION: Holding a
high opinion of one's own qualities or abilities; especially, one that is not justified
Since he won the race, Craig has been full of conceit about his athletic prowess.
• DEFINITION: to accept as true, valid, or accurate; to acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly
I prefer baseball to football but I have to concede that football has more action.
The congressman stubbornly stood his ground, refusing to make any concessions to his opponents, even in the name of compromise.
NOUN VERB
EDIFY • DEFINITION: instruct or improve (someone)
morally or intellectually
In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, the narrator is a teacher who is brought in
to try to edify a death-row inmate, but to his surprise the teacher ends up learning as much as he teaches.
VERB
PHOBIA • DEFINITION: an exaggerated
usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation
ORIGIN: Phobia is from the
Greek word for fear. Phobos was the Greek god of fear, the son of Ares
http://phobialist.com/ Have a fear? Give it a name
using the website above!
The famously wealthy and eccentric industrialist and aviator, Howard Hughes, who designed the giant hydroplane "The Spruce Goose," suffered so much from agoraphobia that he became a recluse during the last few years of his life. Considered to be an unlucky number, many hotels omit the 13th floor using 12a or skipping directly to 14, which is sure to please many triskaidekaphobics.
NOUN
PERPETUATE DEFINITION: cause to last infinitely
ORIGIN: Latin adjective perpetuus meaning “everlasting”.
• Bad habits and stereotypes perpetuate unless conscious efforts are made to put an end to them.
• Radnor football has been 12-2 against LM since 1999, and looks to perpetuate that recent success with another victory this weekend.
TRANSITIVE VERB
Perpetuate is… Perpetuate is not…
Infinite Finite
Immortal Mortal
Eternal Temporary
TAUTOLOGY DEFINITION: the saying of the same thing twice in
different words, generally considered to be a fault of style.
When they are in trouble, children often turn a deaf ear to their parents’ tautological lectures.
TAUTOLOGY EXAMPLES:
“In my opinion, I think that…”
“Say it again, once more.”
Hot water heater
NOUN
ORIGIN: Greek. Tautologia, from tautologos "repeating what has been said," from tauto "the same" + -logos "saying.”
MUNIFICENT • DEFINITION: larger or more
generous than is usual or necessary (referring to a gift or a sum of money)
• A generous gift need not be monetary.
• When applied to a person, "munificent" also means "characterized by great generosity".
TRIVIA: What Disney
protagonist is named after an
ANTONYM of the WOW?
What actress will play the part
of the Evil Queen in the
2014 movie?
ADJECTIVE
The munificent host presided over many charitable events at his mansion. One need not be rich to be munificent: the world is full of people who are generous in small but meaningful ways.
EUPHORIA • DEFINITION: a feeling of well-being or elation
The prefix “eu” means “well” or “successfully”
• ORIGIN: Greek
When the Phillies won the World Series in 2008, the entire city of Philadelphia was in
a state of bliss and euphoria.
You could sense the euphoria oozing from the hallways during LM Week. The feeling
continued onto the football field and back into the building for “Half-day Monday.”
NOUN
SERENDIPITY Definition: the occurrence and development of events
by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
How serendipitous it was that I just found the very same twenty dollar bill that I had
misplaced months ago.
The musical group Daft Punk liked their song "Obtain Serendipity" but had a hard time getting the lyrics to fit rhythmically until they rewrote it to say simply "Get Lucky".
NOUN
FATHOM NOUN
A unit of length equal to six
feet, usually in water.
These pumps are capable of
supplying ample air to two
divers simultaneously, at the
depth of twelve fathoms.
VERB
To understand
When bad things happen, it is
not always easy to fathom the
reasons why they happen.
Omphaloskepsis (Om-pha-lo-skep-sis)
DEFINITION: The contemplation of one’s navel;
metaphorically, it refers to self-absorption ORIGIN: Ancient Greek omphalos – navel, and skepsis – reflection
For some people, omphaloskepsis can be a form of meditation.
NOUN
CHAGRIN NOUN DEFINITION: mental unease,
distress or embarrassment
caused by failure,
disappointment or a
disconcerting event.
VERB DEFINITION: to feel distressed
or humiliated
ORIGIN: French
The TV weatherman appeared chagrined when he reported on the brutal storm that was bearing down on his city, but he rejoiced on the inside, because he knew that dismal weather could help his career.
Much to everyone's chagrin, the final image of the series was a disturbing and violent cliffhanger which would never be resolved.
SYNONYMS: humiliate, mortify, abase ANTONYMS: comfort, confidence, triumph
NEMESIS DEFINITION: retributive justice OR an opponent
that cannot be overcome or beaten ORIGIN: Ancient Greek
The cat is seen as the mouse's biggest arch nemesis, as portrayed in the cartoon "Tom and Jerry."
Good normally prevails over evil despite a nemesis' attempt at foiling peaceful ways.
NOUN
EXAMPLES NON-EXAMPLES
ENEMY FRIEND
RIVAL ASSOCIATE
FOE VINDICATOR NEMESIS Greek Goddess of Revenge
BURGEON Definition: To grow or develop quickly; to send
forth new growth: sprout; bloom; flourish
The market for collectables has burgeoned in the past couple of years.
No thanks to the mild winter, mosquito populations are burgeoning this spring.
VERB
APPRAISE
DEFINITION: To assess the value or quality of or (of an offical or expert) set a price on; value ORIGIN: Latin
Owner of the pawnshop prided himself on appraising items appropriately. The house was appraised at a value lower than expected.
VERB
APPRAISE IN DAILY LIFE Antique Store Real Estate
Pawn Shop
PARADIGM DEFINITION: a typical example or pattern of something; a model
ORIGIN: Greek in origin, derived from paradeigma or "pattern" or "example"
The company's marketing paradigm shifted to a much more conservative one after they rose from being the underdog newcomer to the industry leader.
Andy Warhol ushered in a new paradigm for art in the 1960s, bringing common objects and pop culture into the spotlight to replace more traditional subject matter.
NOUN
https://www.google.com/search?q=PARADIGM&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=qofxUsLnLuHgs
PARAGON DEFINITION: a person or thing regarded as the perfect example of
a particular quality
ORIGIN: Middle French
Such a paragon never wears jeans, or drinks alcohol, or smokes.
Oddly enough, I'm not a paragon of health.
Who or what is perfect in your eyes?
NOUN
What it is… What it isn’t…
Perfect Imperfect
Paradigm Worst
Nonpareil Flawed
HARBINGER DEFINITION/ETYMOLOGY
DEFINITION: someone or something that announces the approach of another.
ORIGIN: Old French from Old German
SENTENCE EXAMPLES
Courtesy of Dr. McGay • The blooming of crocuses are a harbinger of the
arrival of spring. • A sore throat is often the harbinger of a more
serious sickness, like a cold or the flu. • When her water broke, the expectant mother
knew this was the harbinger that her baby was about to be born.
From Dictionary.com • Another harbinger of spring on Mars is huge
dust storms that sweep across the planet. • Virtue is the root of good fortune, and evil the
harbinger of calamity. • The fainting episode, a potential harbinger of
heart trouble, was the first symptom to study.
NOUN
DIVERGENT Definition: tending to be different or
develop in different directions When the movie Divergent is
released, undoubtedly moviegoers
will express divergent opinions
about how faithful the
film was to the book.
Tessa’s teaching
philosophy is divergent from her
coworkers, but they still manage
put their differences aside to
work productively.
SYNONYMS ANTONYMS
DIFFERENT SAME
DISSIMILAR SIMILAR
UNALIKE ALIKE
DISPARATE RELATED
CONFLICTING COMPARABLE
NOUN
RUMINATE DEFINITION: to think carefully
and deeply about something
ORIGIN: Latin
VERB
While some individuals are impulsive, others can ruminate for days or weeks before making a decision.
Facing a tough decision, she ruminated over her options through the course of the week.
FECUND DEFINITION: producing or capable of producing
an abundance of new growth.
ORIGIN: Latin
A lush and fecund garden will be the product of the rainy spring season.
ADJECTIVE
What it is… What it IS NOT…
Fertile Infertile
Fruitful Barren
Productive Unproductive
NASCENT DEFINITION: beginning to exist; recently formed
or developed
ORIGIN: Latin
The actress is now focusing on her nascent singing career.
It was almost 80 years ago that the Wright brothers from Ohio ventured to
Kitty Hawk for the uplift its steady winds offered their nascent passion,
airplanes. —Robert R. Yandle, Popular Photography, March 1993
ADJECTIVE
INCISIVE Clear and direct; able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently
A professor
Yoda A doctor
ADJECTIVE
Synonyms Antonyms
Keen Vague
Astute Rambling
Insightful
Perceptive
EXAMPLES
He is one of the most intellectually incisive executives in corporate America.
BUCOLIC
DEFINITION: of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and countryside life
ORIGIN: Ancient Greek
The land was quite bucolic – with rolling fields and beautiful landscape.
Many universities create bucolic environments even in urban settings.
ADJECTIVE
SCHISM DEFINITION: a division that occurs among a
group because they disagree on something
A schism was created in
the United States between
the North and South when
the Civil War broke out.
Deciding who was to pay
for the wedding led to
a schism between the
two families that, to this day, either side is willing to mend.
NOUN
PORTEND DEFINITION: a sign or warning that (something,
especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.
ORIGIN: Latin
The drop in temperature and darkening skies portend a storm is imminent.
Sandy does not believe a palm reader can portend the future.
VERB