LESSON EIGHTEnglish II

DERIDE

(v) to ridicule; to mock

syn: scorn ant: praise

The unpopular professor derided students who made mistakes.

Definition Example

CENSURE

(v) to criticize sharply

syn: condemn; reproach

ant: praise; applaud

The judge censured the repeat offender for his criminal behavior.

Definition Example

GAMBOL

(v) to frolic; to romp about playfully

syn: play; caper; rollick

The pre-schoolers liked to gambol about on the playground.

Definition Example

IMMOLATE

(v) to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire

Some Buddhist monks immolated themselves in protest of the government’s policies.

Definition Example

RECONDITE

(adj) difficult to understand; profound

Only a few students understood the recondite explanation of the theory.

Definition Example

MARTINET

(n) a strict disciplinarian; taskmasker

The teacher was a martinet who never made exceptions to the rules.

Definition Example

QUAGMIRE

(n) a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation

The war was a political quagmire for three U.S. presidents.

Definition Example

GIBE

(v) to scoff; to ridicule

syn: jeer; taunt; sneer

ant: compliment; praise

His favorite pastime was to gibe at everything his wife said.

Definition Example

AGAPE

(adj) open-mouthed; surprised; agog

syn: astonished

Even the judge was agape when the witness told the ridiculous story in court.

Definition Example

CARCINOGEN

(n) causing cancer Benzene, a component of gasoline, is a carcinogen.

Definition Example

OLFACTORY

(adj) pertaining to smell

If you have a cold, then your olfactory sense will not detect the gas leak.

Definition Example

IMPERIOUS

(adj) domineering; haughty

syn: overbearing; arrogant; masterful

ant: servile; submissive

The judge pronounced his findings in an imperious voice.

Definition Example

GROTESQUE

(adj) absurd; distorted

The boy made a grotesque face behind the teacher’s back.

Definition Example

NEOLOGISM

(n) a new word or expression

syn: coinage

Some writers coin neologisms to confuse and impress their readers.

Definition Example

HACKNEYED

(adj) commonplace; overused

syn: trite; banal ant: fresh;

imaginative

“Good as gold” is a hackneyed expression.

Definition Example