Unit 9 VCB, Level F

Unit 9, First Ten Words Unit 9, Second Ten Words

Anathema

Egregious

Equivocated

Evanescent

Irresolute

Nebulous

Recapitulate

Resuscitate

Slovenly

Torpid

Abate (V.)

• To make less in amount, degree, etc,; to subside, become less, to nullify; to deduct, omit

Interest in the author’s home abated as hernovels waned in popularity.

SYN: diminish; decrease

Adulation (n.)

• Praise or flattery that is excessive

The baby bunny enjoyed the excessive adulation

from his mother.

SYN: adoration; idolization

Anathema (n.)

• An object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article)

My parents possess an immense anathema tothe idea of me receiving a failing mark.

SYN: malediction; abomination

Astute (adj.)

• Shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

Many consider Alex to be an astute observerof the current political scene due to hisvast array of knowledge.

SYN: acute; sagacious

Avarice (n.)

• A greedy desire, particularly for wealth

It seems that many corporations only care aboutavarice and the thirst for power.

SYN: cupidity; rapacity

Culpable (adj.)

• Deserving blame, worthy of condemnation

According to my parents, I’m more culpable than my younger brother because I should know better.

SYN: guilty; blameworthy

Dilatory (adj.)

• Tending to delay or procrastinate; not prompt; intended to delay or postpone

If one is dilatory in her daily duties, the coursework will soon pile up to the point whereit will be difficult to catch up.

SYN: stalling; tardy

Egregious (adj.)• Conspicuous, standing out from the mass

(used particularly in an unfavorable sense)

Many of my brother’s egregious actions causeothers to act annoyed around him.

SYN: glaring; blatant

Equivocate (v.)• To speak, or act in a way that allows for more than one

interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous

When referring to his opinion on healthcare, thepolitician equivocated, “Everyone should practice a

healthy lifestyle.” He didn’t give the audience a straight answer.

SYN: hedge; waffle

Evanescent (adj.)

• Vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy

I enjoy watching the evanescent autumn leavesfall to the ground since the gorgeous colors onlyoccur once a year.

SYN: ephemeral; transitory

Irresolute (adj.)

• Unable to make up one’s mind; hesitating

When I questioned Becky about her favoriterestaurant, she seemed very irresolutein her decision between Thai andJapanese food.

SYN: indecisive; wavering

Nebulous (adj.)

• Cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloud in color, not transparent; vague, confused, indistinct

If one enjoys stargazing and researching various nebulous structures, then one should studyAstronomy.

SYN: hazy; opaque

Novice (n.)

• One who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience (also used adjectivally)

Alice acted like a novice on the icedue to the fact that it was her firsttime.

SYN: trainee; neophyte

Penury (n.)

• Extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency

Many people these days live in a state of penury due to the bad economy and rise in livingexpenses.

SYN: destitution; indigence

Pretentious (adj.)

• Done for show, striving a make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; ambitious

The baby’s actions of eating a watermelon slicebigger than he was appeareda bit pretentious.

SYN: ostentatious; inflated

Recapitulate (v.)

• To review a series of facts; to sum up

To recapitulate from earlier, we’ll watch a movieon the information presented and answer somereview questions.

SYN: review; summarize

Resuscitate (v.)

• To revive, bring back to consciousness or existence

The patient stopped breathing, but the doctors were able to resuscitate him in time.

SYN: revitalize; restore

Slovenly (adj.)

• Untidy, dirty, careless

If one wants to achieve a good impression fora job interview, please refrain from dressing in a

slovenly fashion.

SYN: unkempt; lax

Supposition (n.)

• Something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence.

The government officials’ supposition on the man did not reflect the true nature of hisbeing.

SYN: assumption; hypothesis

Torpid (adj.)

• Inactive, sluggish, dull

The kindergarten kids witnessed a torpid slothwhen they visited the zoo yesterday.

SYN: lethargic; languid