AMDG
Vocabulary English I – Semester II
Set 1A
audacity
n.
boldness; daring; nerve
Etymology: Latin – audere – to dare
Sentence: Can you believe it? He had the audacity to give me a speeding ticket for going five over.
nemesis
n.
a longstanding rival; archenemy
Etymology: Greek – nemein – give what is due
Sentence: At the end of the battle, our hero turned to confront his arch nemesis face to face.
reverent
adj.
feeling or showing deep or solemn respect
Etymology: Latin – revereri
Sentence: On mass days, the gymnasium turns into a church, and it’s important that students enter that space in
a reverent way.
tirade
n.
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation
Etymology: Latin – tirare – to pull
Sentence: We were hoping for a positive campaign speech at the rally, but instead the candidate let loose with a
tirade against her opponent.
ambivalence n.
the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
Etymology: German – ambivalenz
Sentence: We set up Eleanor with Victor in hopes that she would fall madly in love with him, but instead she
treated him with ambivalence.
Set 1B
meander
v.
wander at random
Etymology: Greek – Maiandros – the name of a river
Sentence: Some people prefer to walk through a grocery store aisle-by-aisle, but I prefer to meander from
section to section lazily.
prodigious
adj.
impressively great in size, force, or extent; enormous
Etymology: Latin – prodigium – omen, portent
Sentence: They Cyclops moved a prodigious boulder in front of the cave, blocking Odysseus and his men from
escaping.
kiosk
n.
a small structure in a public area used for providing information or displaying advertisements,
often incorporating an interactive display or screens
Etymology: Persian – kus
Sentence: The mall was gigantic, and I had no idea where to find the rug store, but luckily near the entrance
there was a kiosk with a good map.
porous
adj.
having minute spaces or holes through which liquid or air may pass
Etymology: Latin – porous – pore
Sentence: Stupidly, we made the tent out of a porous material, and the rain came righ through the material and
onto the guests.
adept
adj.
very skilled or proficient at something
Etymology: Latin – adeptus – achieved
Sentence: After decades in politics, Victor was adept at negotiation and compromise.
Set 1C
vigilant
adj.
keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties
Etymology: Latin – vigilant – keeping safe
Sentence: The burglar was spotted by vigilant neighbors.
advocate
n.
a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy
Etymology: Latin – ad – to, vocare – to call
Sentence: In her thirty years in Congress, Senator Williams has been a great advocate on behalf of children’s
rights.
grisly
adj.
causing horror or disgust
Etymology: Old English – grislic – terrifying
Sentence: The town was shaken by a series of grisly murders.
juxtapose
v.
place or deal with close together for contrasting effect
Etymology: Latin – juxta – next, French – poser – to place
Sentence: Black-and-white photos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images.
diligent
adj.
having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties
Etymology: Latin – diligere – love, take delight in
Sentence: Many caves are located only after a diligent search.
Set 1D
constrict
v.
make narrower, especially by encircling pressure
Etymology: Latin – constringere
Sentence: Smoking tobacco can constrict the blood vessels and cause serious health problems.
scanty
adj.
small or insufficient in quantity or amount
Etymology: Old Norse – skammr – short
Sentence: Those poor people worked physically difficult jobs for scanty wages.
fallible
adj.
capable of making mistakes or being wrong
Etymology: Latin – fallere – to deceive
Sentence: Many people incorrectly think Wikipedia.org is infallible.
insolvent
adj.
unable to pay debts owed
Etymology: Latin – solvent – loosening, unfastening, paying
Sentence: Everyone wanted the downtown bookstore to survive, but it was insolvent.
inaudible
adj.
unable to be heard
Etymology: Latin – inaudibilis
Sentence: Whenever her microphone cut off, her speech was inaudible to those of us in the balcony.
Set 2A
woe
n.
a great sorrow or distress
Etymology: Old English – wa
Sentence: Grandpa told us of his experiences in the Great Depression, and we all listened closely to his
complicated tale of woe.
dissension
n.
disagreement that leads to conflict and discord
Etymology: Latin – dissentire
Sentence: We hoped that the family reunion would be a joyous and peaceful event, but unfortunately there was a
great deal of dissension between members of the family.
authoritarian
adj.
favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, esp. that of the government, at the
expense of personal freedom
Etymology: Latin – auctor – originator, promoter
Sentence: We all hoped that Lower Slobovia would move from a cruel, vicious authoritarian government to a
democratic government.
belated
adj.
coming or happening later than should have been the case
Etymology: 1610’s – overtaken by night
Sentence: After I thought about it, I called and offered Victor a belated apology for my behavior last February.
disband
v.
break up or cause to break up and stop functioning
Etymology: French – disbander
Sentence: In 1970, the Beatles decided to disband even though they were still the best selling rock group in the
world.
Set 2B
precocious
adj.
(of a child) having developed certain abilities or behaviors at an early age
Etymology: Latin – praecoquere – ripen fully
Sentence: We normally don’t cast ten-year-olds in the play, but we all felt that Denise was precocious and able
to handle the role at such a young age.
decipher
v.
succeed in understanding, interpreting, or identifying (something)
Etymology: French – dechiffrer
Sentence: I bought a cheap Scandinavian table, and I tried to put it together myself, but I couldn’t decipher the
instructions made up of really confusing drawings.
enthrall
v.
to hold spellbound; captivate; charm
Etymology: Middle English – enthrallen
Sentence: I really didn’t think I would like the big blockbuster movie, but the 3D effects enthralled me from the
first scene.
bemoan
v.
express discontent or sorrow over (something)
Etymology: Old English – bemaenan – complaint, lament
Sentence: Whenever I am tempted to feel sad and bemoan my lonely state, I think of you, and I instantly feel
better.
unfathomable adj.
incapable of being fully explored or understood
Etymology: Old English – faethem – something that embraces – as in measurement
Sentence: Her gray eyes were dark with some unfathomable emotion.
Set 2C
heretic
n.
a person believing in or practicing religious heresy
Etymology: Greek – haireisthai – choose
Sentence: Any Catholic who openly embraces witchcraft will be deemed a heretic.
animate
v.
bring to life; give inspiration, encouragement, or renewed vigor to
Etymology: Latin – anima – life, soul
Sentence: She has animated the nation with a sense of political direction.
Sentence: The teachings of Jesus should animate all of our moral decisions.
labyrinth
n.
a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a
maze
Etymology: Greek – laburinthos
Sentence: I tried to find the bathroom on my own, but that old mansion was like a labyrinth with all these little
passages and stairways; I got totally lost.
confound
v.
cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations
Etymology: Latin – confundere – pour together, mix up
Sentence: The low ACT scores confounded the teachers, who had worked so hard.
befuddle
v.
to confuse
Etymology: Low German – fuddeln – to work in a slovenly manner, as if drunk
Sentence: I do fine with equations, but some of those story problems completely befuddle me.
Set 2D
malevolent
adj.
having or showing a wish to do evil to others
Etymology: Latin – mal – ill + volent – wishing
Sentence: We all became scared when the convicted murderer walked into the courtroom and flashed his dark,
malevolent eyes.
coddle
strife
v.
treat in an indulgent or overprotective way
Etymology: Latin – calidus – warm
Sentence: If you want your son to grow into a confident adult, then let him suffer the consequences of his
mistakes; if you coddle him, he’ll never learn to handle problems on his own.
n.
angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict
Etymology: Old French – estriver – strive
Sentence: We wanted the meeting between the political parties to be a time of generosity and compromise, but it
quickly turned to strife.
undulate
v.
move with a smooth wavelike motion
Etymology: Latin – unda – a wave
Sentence: The crowd in front of the stage undulated to the thumping rhythm of the music.
empathy
n.
the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
Etymology: Greek – em – in + pathos – feeling
Sentence: Because I had just lost my father to cancer, I was filled with empathy for my friend as she dealt with the
loss of her father.
Set 3A
mundane
adj. lacking interest or excitement; dull
Etymology: Latin – mundanus – belonging to the world
Sentenece: Seeking a way out of his mundane, humdrum existence, Peter took up skydiving.
discontent
n.
lack of contentment; dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances
Etymology: Latin – contenta – things contained
Sentence: I hoped I would be happy in my new job, but a vague feeling of discontent crept in from day one.
lethargy
n.
lack of energy and enthusiasm
Etymology: Greek – lanthanesthai – forget
Sentence: Thomas usually works with great gusto and energy, but he sometimes suffers from occasional periods of
weakness and lethargy too.
benefactor
n.
one who gives financial or other aid
Etymology: latin – benefaction
Sentence: U of D Jesuit would cease to exist without the generous donations from our great benefactors.
linger
v.
stay in place longer than necessary, typically because of a reluctance to leave
Etymology: German – langen – make longer
Sentence: She lingered in the yard, enjoying the warm sunshine.
Set 3B
rescind
v.
revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement)
Etymology: Latin – scindere – to divide, split
Sentence: The students protested and revolted when they learned that sport coats were going to be added to the
dress code, so the administration rescinded the requirement.
giddy
adj. excitable, alarming, exciting feeling
Etymology: Old English – gidig – insane, possessed by a god
Sentence: When she kissed me, I felt giddy, and my face turned red.
equilibrium
n.
a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced
Etymology: Latin – aequi – equal + libra – balance
Sentence: I stumbled over a rock and almost fell, until I regained my equilibrium.
arrogant
adj. having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities
Etymology: Latin – arrogant – claiming for oneself
Sentence: Andrew is my friend, but he drives me crazy when he becomes arrogant and suggests that he is better
than everyone else.
expedite
v.
make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly
Etymology: Latin – expedire – extricate, put in order
Sentence: I know you love typing your papers on a typewriter, but a computer will really expedite the whole
process.
Set 3C
odious
adj. extremely unpleasant; repulsive
Etymology: Latin – odium – hatred
Sentence: House cleaning is full of unpleasant tasks, but the most odious of all has to be scrubbing the toilet.
ostracize
v.
exclude (someone) from a society or group
Etymology: Greek – ostrakon – shell or potsherd on which names were written for votes to banish unpopular
citizens
Sentence: He had been a member of the party for years, but as soon as he began advocating racism openly, the
party ostracized him.
fickle
adj. changing frequently, especially as regards one’s own loyalties, interests, or affections
Etymology: Old English – ficol – deceitful
Sentence: Teenagers are notoriously fickle, constantly bouncing from one fashion to the next.
ignoramus
n.
an ignorant person; an idiot
Etymology: Latin – ignorare – to be ignorant
Sentence: Don’t be an ignoramus; you know that mouse won’t answer you back.
opulent
adj. incredibly rich or luxurious
Etymology: Latin – opes – wealth
Sentence: Filled with gold tapestries and marble statues, the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Hotel is the most opulent
lobby I have ever seen.
Set 3D
taciturn
adj. (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little
Etymology: Latin – tacere – to be quiet
Sentence: Sometimes it’s good to have a loud and talkative leader, but I appreciate John’s reflective, taciturn
leadership style.
hardy
adj. robust, strong, capable of enduring difficult conditions
Etymology: Old English – hard
Sentence: We get terrible weather in Michigan, so it’s wise to plant hardy flowers that can withstand crazy
weather.
vehement
adj. showing strong feelings; forceful, passionate, or intense
Etymology: Latin – vehement – impetuous, violent
Sentence: Despite the vehement objections of the citizens, the Governor went ahead with his tax plan.
placid
adj. (of a person or animal) not easily upset or excited; in general, calm
Etymology: Latin – placere – to please
Sentence: I know that this is your first time riding a horse, so I gave you this horse because she has a placid
nature.
waver
v.
be undecided between two opinions or courses of action; be irresolute
Etymology: Old Norse – vafra – flicker
Sentence: We must remain strong in our faith and never waver.