Vocab Unit 10

Honors 6.0

Mnemonic Devices!

1. Accrue

• (v.) to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result.

• SYN: collect, accumulate

-My CREW grows over time…

2. Annotation

• (n.) a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work.

• SYN: none given

• NOTE is in the word.

3. Bedlam

• (n.) a state or scene of uproar and confusion.• SYN: commotion, pandemonium, chaos

• If you try to put that LAMB in the BED, there will be chaos

4. Covert

• (adj.) hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded.

• SYN: undercover, clandestine

• COVert sounds liked COVERED. Both relate to something hidden or disguised!

5. Debonair

• (adj.) pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished in manner and appearance.

• SYN: carefree, gracious

• DEB is ON AIR all the time, and always looks pleasant in front of the camera.

6. Dun

• (v.) to demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt

• SYN: (v.) hound, harass, nag

• If you realize that rent is due today, you may hear this sound in your head…

7. Efficacious

• (adj.) effective, producing results.• SYN: effectual, efficient, potent, powerful

• EFFicacious=EFFective!

8. Equanimity

• (n.) calmness, composure, refusal to panic• SYN: tranquility, imperturbability

• EQUAl MINd• OR Equal keeps

you calmer than

regular sugar!

9. Fortuitous

• (adj.) accidental, occurring by a happy chance• SYN: unintentional, unplanned, random, lucky

• He accidentally hit the lottery and received a FORTUne!

10. Gist

• (n.) the essential part, main point, or essence• SYN: substance, core, nucleus

• GIST sounds like LIST, and a LIST should only include essential parts

11. Gratuitous

• (adj.) freely given; not called for by circumstances, unwarranted

• SYN: voluntary, unjustified

12. Imperious

• (adj.) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate

• SYN: domineering, magisterial

Imperious=Imperius (curse)

Curse from Harry Potter universe that give total control/dominance over another person.

13. Invective

• (n.) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language

• SYN: vituperation, abuse

14. Motley

• (adj.) showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors.

• SYN: heterogeneous, diverse

Motley Crüe

15. Munificent

• (adj.) extremely generous, lavish• SYN: bounteous, liberal

• Munificent- think “money”; someone with lots of money or wealth could be very generous or spend lavishly.

16. Procrastinate

• (v.) to delay, put off until later• SYN: stall, temporize, dillydally

17. Provocative

• (adj.) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating, annoying

• SYN: stimulating, arousing, vexing, galling

• Provocative=Provoking a feeling

18. Recondite

• (adj.) exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding

• SYN: arcane, abstruse

• Recondite= re-conduct. The teacher had to re-conduct the vocab PowerPoint because the students did not understand the terms the first time around.

19. Reprobate

• (n.) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel

• SYN: scoundrel, blackguard

• People on probation are sometimes vicious and unprincipled

20. Sedentary

• (adj.) characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place

• SYN: static, stationary

• Sedentary sounds similar to DENTAL. Dental work requires sitting in a chair for a prolonged period of time. Think of any time you’ve been to the dentist!