1. Vocabulary 15A

2. (ADJ. ) CAUSING IRRITATION, HARSH; GRINDING OR WEARING DOWN; (N
(ADJ.) CAUSING IRRITATION, HARSH; GRINDING OR WEARING DOWN; (N.) A SUBSTANCE USED TO SMOOTH OR POLISH.
S: (ADJ.) CHAFING, GRATING, RASPING, EORSIVE
A: (ADJ.) SMOOTH, POLISHED, SATINY, OILY, UNCTUOUS
WITHIN EVERY FAMILY THERE ARE SOME RELATIONSHIPS THAT TEND TO BE ABRASIVE.
PUMICE, A NATURAL ABRASIVE, IS A HIGHLY POROUR TYPE OF GLASS THAT IS PRODUCED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.
ABRASIVE

3. ACCLIMATE (V.) to adapt to a new climate, environment, or situation
S: accustom, learn the ropes
You may find it difficult to acclimate to a new school if you arrive in the middle of the year.
ACCLIMATE

4. (N.) irritation or humiliation caused by disappointment or frustration; (v.) to cause such a feeling
S: (n.) vexation, mortification; (v.) abash. Mortify
A: (n.) jubilation, exultation, triumph; 9v.) exult, delight
Much to my chagrin, I placed a mere fourth in the 100-meter freestyle.
The lukewarm reception accorded his first and only opera, Fidelio, deeply chagrined the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
CHAGRIN

5. COMPLACENT (adj.) self-satisfied; overly content
S: smug, pleased with oneself
A: discontented, chagrined
Complacent individuals are, by definition, overly pleased with their lot in life.
COMPLACENT

6. CONCUR (v.) to express agreement, approve
S: agree, assent, ratify, sanction
A: disagree, differ, part company
It is indeed rare for eyewitness accounts of an accident to concur in every detail.
CONCUR

7. DEFAMATION (n.) slander or libel S: vilification, calumny, mudslinging
A: salute, tribute, testimonial, praise
Celebrities sometimes find that they have no choice but to sue tabloids for defamation.
DEFAMATION

8. EXPLICATE (v.) to make plain or clear, explain; to interpret
S: clarify, elucidate, untangle, spell out
A: confuse, bewilder, obscure, obfuscate
The students listened attentively as the math teacher explicated the geometry theorem.
EXPLICATE

9. FRACAS (n,) a noisy quarrel or brawl
S: row, altercation, rhubarb, brouhaha
A: agreement, accord, unanimity, harmony
Do you think that the fracases on some talk shows are spontaneous or staged?
FRACAS

10. GROTESQUE (adj.) unnatural, distorted; bizarre
S: fantastic, outlandish, ugly, deformed
A: appealing, attractive, comely
Gargoyles, the grotesque beasts carved on many Gothic churches, are actually drainage spouts.
GROTESQUE

11. PANDEMONIUM (n.) a wild uproar, din, or commotion
S: chaos, tumult, bedlam, three-ring circus
A: order, calm, tranquility, peace, repose
The whirl of activity on the floor of a stock exchange often looks and sounds like utter pandemonium.
PANDEMONIUM