Lesson Fourteen

English II

bombast

Definition• (n) impressive but

meaningless language

Example• Please, professor, spare

the bombast; just give me the facts.

orthography

Definition• (n) correct spelling

Example• Anne’s excellent grades

are testament to her grasp of orthography.

paleontology

Definition• (n) a science dealing with

prehistoric life through the study of fossils

Example• The expert in

paleontology dated the skeleton to 2000 B.C.

recoil

Definition• (v) to retreat; to draw

back

Example• Liz recoiled from the

harsh words as though she had been struck.

panache

Definition• (n) self-confidence; a

showy manner• Syn: charisma; spirit

Example• The actor always

exhibited great panache, so his first appearance on the talk show didn’t make him the least bit nervous.

saturnine

Definition• (adj) gloomy; sluggish• Syn: sullen; morose• Ant: genial

Example• The hostess’ saturnine

attitude caused the party to end early.

endemic

Definition• (adj) confined to a

particular country or area• Syn: native; indigenous• Ant: alien; foreign

Example• Once it had been

endemic to Africa, but now it is becoming a world-wide epidemic.

mendacious

Definition• (adj) lying; false; deceitful• Syn: duplicitous• Ant: truthful

Example• Everyone knew the

politician was mendacious, yet the voters kept reelecting him.

obviate

Definition• (v) to prevent; to get

around• Syn: circumvent

Example• They delayed the release

of the film in order to obviate a barrage of criticism.

paroxysm

Definition• (n) a sudden outburst; a

fit• Syn: outburst; commotion

Example• The class, in a paroxysm

of laughter, went silent as soon as the principal walked into the room.

aggrandize

Definition• (v) 1. to increase the

range of; to expand • Syn: enlarge; augment;

enrich• Ant: decrease; diminish• 2. to make appear larger• Syn: exaggerate;

embellish• Ant: belittle; devalue

Example• Much of what they did

was not intended to aid their country, but to aggrandize their own positions.

• The advertisement aggrandizes the new product by making it appear as though everyone owns one.

deign

Definition• (v) to lower oneself

before an inferior• Syn: stoop; condescend

Example• “After what she did to me,

I would not deign to say hello to her,” said Mary about her former best friend.

flaunt

Definition• (v) to show off• Syn: boast; exhibit• Ant: conceal

Example• Some people flaunt their

wealth by buying islands.

shibboleth

Definition• (n) a word or

pronunciation that distinguishes someone as of a particular group

Example• Pronouncing “creek” as

“crick” is a shibboleth of people in mid-Atlantic states.

elicit

Definition• (v) to draw forth; to call

forth• Syn: evoke; extract• Ant: cover; suppress

Example• The attorney tried to elicit

a response from his client, but the man remained silent.