Vocabulary Unit #2

Ameliorate To improve, make better, correct a flaw. You would never think it, but a big hug can do wonders and ameliorate the stresses of a long & grueling day.

Aplomb Poise, assurance, great self- confidence. After Jocasta found out about the fulfilment of the prophecy, she did not handle the truth with aplomb and instead, ended her life.

Bombastic Pompous or overblown in language; inflated, pretentious. I guess you can say that presidential candidates who deliver bombastic speeches, are least likely to receive the peoples’ votes.

Callow Without experience; immature; lacking sophistication and poise. Most MHS freshmen start off as callow high school students, but usually develop into mature young adults.

Drivel Foolish, aimless talk or thinking; non-sense. As much as he tries to start a pleasant conversation, all he does is end up driveling on about his glory days.

Epitome A summary; an instance that represents a larger reality. After reading the Prologue of Antigone, the readers can conclude that Antigone is the epitome of a heroine.

Exhort To urge strongly, advise earnestly. Ms. Navarro is always exhorting her students to never give up and keep on trying to exceed their best.

Ex Officio By virtue of holding a certain office. Many citizens have proclaimed that they hope Donald Trump will not become an ex officio of the White House.

Infringe To violate, go beyond recognized bounds, intrude. Many teens are against their parents infringing on their privacy, especially when it comes to checking their text messages.

Ingratiate To make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor by others; cozy up to. Social climbers are well-known for ingratiating themselves with people of high financial status.

Interloper (n.) someone who moves in somewhere they are not wanted, an outcast; someone who does not fit in a specific environment; a trespasser, an intruder. Rudolph was considered an interloper in the North Pole because nobody wanted to play with him.

Intrinsic (adj.) belonging to someone naturally by nature; inherent; existing as an inseparable/permanent element; originating in a bodily organ. Elsa, the queen of Arendelle in Frozen, had intrinsic magical ice powers.

Inveigh (v.) to make a violent attack in words; to verbally attack; to express strong disapproval. Politicians often inveigh each other’s ideas and opinions during debates.

Lassitude (n.) a state of physical or mental weariness, lack of energy; fatigue. The student was in a state of lassitude after studying for his exam all night.

Millennium (n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of joy/happiness. The Millennium Falcon, a famous spaceship from Star Wars, traveled in light years.

Occult (adj.) secretive, hidden; mysterious, magical; (v.) to hide, cut off from view; eclipse; (n.) supernatural beliefs. The solar eclipse occulted the sun’s light.

Permeate (v.) to spread throughout; to soak through something; pervade. In the video, the astronaut permeated the water through the washcloth.

Precipitate (v.) to fall as moisture (rain); to cause something suddenly/unexpectedly; (adj.) suddenly, hastily; without careful consideration; (n.) moisture; the product of an action/process. The man used an umbrella to shade himself from the precipitation.

Stringent (adj.) strict, severe, precise; sharp or bitter to the taste; rigorously binding or compelling. The stringent teacher threatened to write a referral note.

Surmise (v.) to have an opinion or believe something without supporting evidence; to stereotype/judge; to guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks proof; and educated guess. When asked a challenging question to which she did not know the answer to, the contestant surmised an answer.