LESSON 16: ROOTS –CEDE-, -CESS-, -GRAD-, -GRESS- HONORS ENGLISH I VOCABULARY

CONCEDE (trans. verb) a. To acknowledge as true or real, often unwillingly b. To give; yield; grant Example: The speaker conceded that the audience had been inattentive.

DECEASED (adjective) No longer living; dead (noun) A dead person Example: Cinderella’s deceased father left her alone to live with her stepmother and stepsisters.

EGRESS (noun)A path or means of going out; exit Example: To encourage people to leave a circus exhibit, P. T. Barnum once posted a sign that read: “See the egress!”

GRADATION (noun) a. A degree or stage in a series of gradual changes. b. A series of such changes; systematic progression. Example: The picture was notable for the gradations in shading from light to dark.

GRADIENT (noun) a. The degree to which something inclines; slope. b. An ascending or descending part; an incline. Example: The gradient of the mountain sharply increased after the first mile of climbing.

PREDECESSOR (noun) Someone or something that comes before another in time, especially in an office or position; forerunner. Example: Helen had difficulty adjusting to the new job because her predecessor had been so disorganized.

REGRESS (intrans. verb) To go back; return to a previous condition. Example: When the trainer was not present, the athletes regressed to their former bad habits.

SECESSION (noun) The act of withdrawing formally from membership in an organization, association, or union. Example: The secession of the southern states from the Union preceded the Civil War.

TRANSGRESS (trans verb) a. To go beyond or over. b. To act in violation of, as a law. Example: Harold transgressed safe driving rules by not stopping for a red light.

UNPRECEDENTED (Adjective)Not having occurred before; without precedent; novel. Example: The political candidate’s overwhelming victory was unprecedented in the large suburban community.