Monday February 27, 2012 Vocabulary Unit 11

At a recent auto show, President Obama reminded people how his administration has financially helped the auto industry. He alluded to Mitt Romney when he said, “It’s good to remember there were some folks who were willing to let this industry die.”

allude-(v) to mention or to hint at without discussing at length In her college essay, Dina only alluded to her full time after school job; she wanted most of the essay to be about her dreams for the future. Synonym: to suggest

The police sometimes use clairvoyants to help them solve difficult missing-person cases.

clairvoyant-(adj) supernaturally perceptive; (n) one who possesses such power Synonym: insightful

When they weighed all the evidence in the case, the jury found the testimony of the expert witness to be conclusive.

conclusive-(adj) final;decisive. Is there any conclusive evidence that UFO’s exist? Synonym: convincing

Supermarket tabloids frequently publish stories about the disreputable behavior of celebrities.

disreputable-(adj) not respectable Polyphemus turns out to be quite a disreputable character in The Odyssey. Synonym: disgraceful

Scientists have yet to identify many plant and animal species endemic to the rain forests.

endemic-(adj) native or confined to a particular region or people Blue jeans were once endemic to the Cowboys of the American West. Synonym: restricted to

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to U. S The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to U.S. civilians for exemplary contributions to national security, world peace, culture or other significant causes.

exemplary-(adj) worthy of imitation, serving as a model Melanie Josselyn, a 2011 Keefe Tech graduate from Health Careers, was an exemplary student; she won a 5,000 dollar scholarship to UMASS and placed in the top 3 at the National Skills USA competition. Synonym: praiseworthy

Parents sometimes find it difficult to fathom the motives behind their child’s behavior. The great passenger liner Titanic lies buried several thousand fathoms below the ocean’s surface.

fathom-(v) to understand; (n) a measure of depth in the water Synonym: grasp; comprehend

Folklore has it that a serpent’s most outstanding trait is guile; just as a fox’s is craftiness.

guile-(n) deceit Guile, the street fighter, from the video game series, must have many tricks up his sleeve to be such a popular fighter. Synonym: trickery

Having integrity means doing what is right, and saying what is true.

integrity-(n) honesty; high moral standards Synonym: completeness or wholeness

We planned the itinerary for our trip to South America We planned the itinerary for our trip to South America. It looks like this:

itinerary-(n) a route of travel We spent hours planning the itinerary for our trip across the United States. Synonym: schedule

Sometimes students misconstrue what their teachers say. Well, Maria that’s a good idea, but let’s look at it another way. He thinks I don’t know anything!

misconstrue-(v) to interpret wrongly; mistake the meaning of Young children sometimes misconstrue their parents’ motives. Synonym: misjudge

Some drivers show obnoxious behavior when they are behind the wheel; they follow too closely, honk their horns or yell at the top of their lungs.

obnoxious-(adj) highly offensive; arousing strong dislike Hitler gave speeches that were full of obnoxious language and racial slurs. Synonym: hateful

Many parents give their children a pacifier to placate them when they are tired or crying.

placate-(v) to soothe or pacify; to make someone feel less annoyed It is useless to try to placate a dissatisfied customer who enjoys being angry and making complaints. Synonym: satisfy

There was no wind to disturb the placid surface of the lake.

placid-(adj) calm, peaceful Canela was such a placid dog, she got adopted right away from the shelter. Synoynm: tranquil; quiet

Johnny got in trouble because his teacher told him his work was full of plagiarism.

plagiarism-(n) using as one’s own, the writing or materials of another person When the teacher spoke to Max about his plagiarized report, his reply was creative. Synonym:theft

Music is a most potent force for making people forget their differences and live in harmony.

potent-(adj) powerful; highly effective Juliet drinks a most potent potion to make her seem dead. Synonym: forceful

What’s your favorite pretext for trying to get out of English class?

pretext-(n) a false reason On the pretext of delivering a package, the burglar tried to enter the house. Synonym: pretense

Braces can correct teeth that protrude.

protrude-(v) to stick out These unprotected steel bars are protruding from the construction site. Synonym: project; jut out

When astronauts first walked on the moon, they discovered its surface to be stark.

stark-(adj) harsh During adolescence is when many teens start to face the stark realities of life. Synonym: grim

Good friends are not superficial; they understand each other deeply.

superficial-(ad) concerned only with what is on the surface; shallow A superficial wound is when the top layer of the skin is damaged. Synonym: skin deep; not substantial