Grade 11 Vocab Unit 6 Acute - Vicarious 20 WORDS

Word: Acute Definition: sharp Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The test was difficult and required acute mental attention. The pain from the headache was acute.

Word: Ambivalent Definition: undecided Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: George gave an ambivalent answer about where he wanted to go to college because he did not know yet.

Word: Banal Definition: unoriginal, ordinary Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: Most teenagers dislike banal chores such as cleaning their rooms and sorting their laundry.

Word: Catharsis Definition: emotional renewal, purification Part of Speech: noun Example Sentence: The process of exercising is a good form of catharsis that clears the mind and soul.

Word: Cognitive Definition: of or relating to mental processes Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: Reading frequently improves an individual’s cognitive ability.

Word: Debauchery Definition: wild living, excessive indulgence Part of Speech: noun Example Sentence: Celebrities such as the Kardashians are often criticized for living a life of debauchery and spending tons of money on clothes and vacations.

Word: Divert Definition: to redirect Part of Speech: verb Example Sentence: I tried to divert my mother’s attention by dancing and screaming while my sister snuck in the side window. The detour diverted cars from the main road to side roads.

Word: Erudite Definition: scholarly, learned Part of Speech: adj Example Sentence: The erudite professor is praised for his well-respected intelligence.

Word: FINESSE Definition: craftiness Part of Speech: noun Example Sentence: The doctor sewed up the wound with finesse, making the stitches so small one couldn’t even see them.

Word: Intractable Definition: uncontrollable, stubborn, disobedient Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The intractable child had a meltdown in the middle of the grocery store and the mother could not calm her down.

Word: Insular Definition: isolated (like an island – from the Latin word insula) Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The island in the middle of the ocean had a very insular community that did not receive much news or materials from the rest of the world.

Word: Marshal Definition: to arrange in order, gather for a purpose Part of Speech: verb Example Sentence: The teacher marshaled the students into the auditorium for the assembly.

Word: Obscure Definition: -not discovered of known about, uncertain -to darken, conceal Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: -Jane’s family history and origins are obscure. No records exist of her genealogy. -The large clouds obscured the sun.

Word: PERUSE Definition: to read carefully Part of Speech: verb Example Sentence: The student perused the homework reading for hours in order to do well on the test.

Word: Provocative Definition: causing controversy Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The professor was known for his provocative lectures that dealt with controversial issues. The celebrity was hounded by reporters when provocative photos were leaked to the Internet.

Word: Reparation Definition: compensation, the making of amends by money Part of Speech: noun Example Sentence: After WWI, the Allied powers required Germany to pay harsh reparations.

Word: Sentient Definition: conscious Part of Speech: adj Example Sentence: Dogs are sentient beings who can sense and feel certain things.

Word: Superfluous Definition: unnecessary, extra Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The teacher gave superfluous homework that did not have anything to do with what we were studying in class.

Word: Tirade Definition: a long, bitter speech Part of Speech: noun Example Sentence: Bob always goes on tirades about how much he dislikes his job that include many curse words and don’t end for hours.

Word: Vicarious Definition: experienced through someone else Part of Speech: adjective Example Sentence: The mother lived vicariously through her daughter and made her daughter do everything she really wanted to do.