Vocabulary list # 7 2013/14
Week 1
ac·
ac·co·
co·lade
noun
1.any award, honor, or laudatory notice.
2.a light touch on the shoulder with the flat side of the sword or formerly by an embrace,
done in the ceremony of conferring knighthood.
3.the ceremony itself.
The play received accolades from the press.
ab·
ab·nor·
nor·mal
adjective
1.not normal, average, typical, or usual; deviating from a standard.
2.extremely or excessively large.
The company made an abnormal profit during the previous quarter.
un·
un·or·
or·tho·
ho·dox
adjective
not conforming to rules, traditions, or modes of conduct, as of a doctrine, religion, or
philosophy; not orthodox.
The new offensive coach is noted for his unorthodox approach to the running game.
a·skew
adverb
1.to one side; out of line; in a crooked position; awry.
2.with disapproval, scorn, contempt, etc.; disdainfully.
adjective
3.crooked; awry:
Your clothes are all askew.
o·blique
adjective
1.neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line or surface; slanting; sloping.
2.(of a solid) not having the axis perpendicular to the plane of the base.
3.indirectly stated or expressed; not straightforward:
Oblique remarks about the candidate's honesty definitely had an impact on the election.
Week 2
pan·
pan·o·ram·
ram·a
noun
1.an unobstructed and wide view of an extensive area in all directions.
2.an extended pictorial representation or a cyclorama of a landscape or other scene, often
exhibited a part at a time and made to pass continuously before the spectators.
3.a building for exhibiting such a pictorial representation.
The new anthology provided a panorama of Chinese history.
au·
au·dit
noun
1.an official examination and verification of accounts and records, especially of financial
accounts.
2.the inspection or examination of a building or other facility to evaluate or improve its
appropriateness, safety, efficiency, or the like: An energy audit can suggest ways to reduce home
fuel bills.
verb (used with object)
3.to make an audit of; examine (accounts, records, etc.) for purposes of verification.
The accountants audited the company's books at the end of the fiscal year.
scru·
scru·ti·
ti·nize
verb (used with object)
1.to examine in detail with careful or critical attention.
verb (used without object)
2.to conduct a scrutiny.
You know our English teacher will scrutinize our research paper.
con·
con·strue
verb (used with object)
1.to give the meaning or intention of; explain; interpret.
2.to deduce by inference or interpretation; infer.
He construed her intentions from her gestures.
de·
de·ci·
ci·pher
verb (used with object)
1.to make out the meaning of (poor or partially obliterated writing, etc.).
2.to discover the meaning of (anything obscure or difficult to trace or understand).
3.to interpret by the use of a key, as something written in cipher.
The detective tried to decipher the crudely scribbled note.
Week 3
con·
con·tra·
tra·dict
verb (used with object)
1.to assert the contrary or opposite of; deny directly and categorically.
2.to speak contrary to the assertions of.
3.(of an action or event) to imply a denial of.
His way of life contradicts his stated principles.
trav·
trav·erse
noun, adjective verb (used with object)
1.to pass or move over, along, or through.
2.
3.to extend across or over.
4.to go up, down, or across (a rope, mountain, hill, etc.) at an angle.
The climbers traversed the east face of the mountain.
em·
em·bar·
bar·go
verb,
noun
1.an order of a government prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of its
ports.
2.an injunction from a government commerce agency to refuse freight for shipment, as in
case of congestion or insufficient facilities.
verb (used with object)
3.to impose an embargo on.
The trade embargo has had a negative impact on the stock market.
smid·
smid·gen
noun
a very small amount:
A smidgen of jam for your toast will make it most delectable.
tran·
tran·quil·
quil·li·
li·ty
noun
quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity.
The lake offered the family a place of calm and tranquility.
Week 4
hoard
noun
1.a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use,
etc.
verb (used with object)
2.to accumulate for preservation, future use, etc., in a hidden or carefully guarded place.
verb (used without object)
3.to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for
preservation, future use, etc.
The pirates tried to hoard the treasure.
con·
con·glom·
glom·er·
er·a·tion
noun
1.the act of conglomerating; the state of being conglomerated.
2.a cohering mass; cluster.
3.a heterogeneous combination
A conglomeration of ideas can only help us reach a good decision.
wretch
noun
1.a deplorably unfortunate or unhappy person.
2.a person of despicable or base character.
The old woman was characterized as a wretch in the novel.
ren·
ren·e·gade
noun
1.a person who deserts a party or cause for another.
2.an apostate from a religious faith.
adjective
3.of or like a renegade; traitorous.
The renegade soldier left his troop to save the innocent civilians.
the·
the·sau·
sau·rus
noun
1.a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms, such as the online Thesaurus.com.
2.any dictionary, encyclopedia, or other comprehensive reference book.
3.a storehouse, repository, or treasury.
We often use a thesaurus to help us build our vocabulary.