Lesson 5
41. astute -
41. a-stute
50. authentic
adjective
;;>-stoot' or ;;>-styoot'
[astutus (Latin). "cunning." from astus (Latin). "craftiness"!
Definition: Keen of mind and judgm ent, especially in practical matters;
cunning.
The novelist Jane Au sten was an astute observer of life and manners
in the English countryside at the beginning of the 19th century.
More than one clever mon ey manager has been able to a mass a
tremendous fortune by astute speculation in th e stock market.
Related Forms: (noun) astuteness: (adverb) astutely
Phrases: an astute analysis, an astute criticism: astu te advertising
Synonyms: (adjectives) s hrewd, perceptive, sharp, acute; sagacious,
judicious (Word 249); farsighted, perspicacious; quick-witted, clever:
wily, cagey; (nouns ) perceptiveness, discernment, acum en, sagacity
Antonyms: (adjectives) obtuse, unperceptive , undiscerning; emptyheaded, stupid, foolish, doltish, vacuous, inane
Related Phrases: sharp practice; acute perceptions; cunning as a fox;
s hrewd insights into human nature; a shrewd investor
42.
a-sy-lum
noun
;;>-sl'-l;;>m
[asylon (Greek). "place of re fuge," from a (Greek), "without" + sylon (Greek).
"right of seizure"!
Definition:
a . An institution that s helters and cares for mentally unbalanced,
aged, or homeless persons.
The eighteenth-centu ry poet Christopher Smart spent a good
deal of his life in the infamous London insane asylum commonly
called Bedlam.
b . Any place offering protection or security.
Ever since early colonial days, the United States has served as
an asylum for the oppressed and downtrodden of the world.
c . Protection against a legal or social pen alty.
Many Cubans escaping from the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro
have been granted political asylum in the United States.
Synonyms: (nouns) sanctuary, refuge, haven
Related Phrases: seek sanctuary; take refuge; protective custody;
a safe house
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Sanctuary
Literally. the word sanctuary (from sanctus (Latin], ~sacred") denotes a
holy place, usu ally the mos t sacred part in a church , often r eferred to as
"the holy of ho lies" In biblical times, the sanctuary s heltered the Ark of
the Covenant.
The word sanctuary is imbedded in historical tradition. In a ncient and
medieval times, churches and monasteries served as a place of asylum or
sanctuary for persons fleeing violence or penalties of the law. Once ins ide
such a refuge, a fugitive would claim "the right of sanctuary"-that is. immunity from arrest or injury. To inj ure s uch a protected person or to
rem ove him by force was r egarded as a sacrilege. Eventually the abuse of
the privilege led to its general abolition, though it s urvives in modern
times in certain s ituations.
43 . a-tone
verb
d-ton'
!from lhe Englis h phrase "lo be at one \vilh." lhe idea b eing lhal a pers on who
a tones for a mis deed is brought back together \vilh God a n d m ade whole (or one
wilh himselO in conscience)
Definition: To make up for or repent.
"You ma de a n honest mistake," Wanda said. "Don't feel tha t you have
to atone for it."
The plot of the novel is awfully contrived, but the wonder fully vivid descriptions of the setting do much to atone for this weakness.
Related Form: (noun) atonement
Usage Note:
The Day of Atonement (from the Hebrew Yom Kippur) is a day set aside
by Jews for fastin g and prayer as pena nce for s ins and misdeeds com mi tted during the year just past.
Synonyms: (verbs) expiate. redeem , offset: (nouns) penance. expiation:
compensation. reparation , restitution, redress
Related Phrases: make amends for: do penance for
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44. a-troc-i-ty
noun
;;}-tros'-;;}-te
[atrox. a trocis (Latin). "cruel" + -ox. -oc- (Latin) . "looking")
Definition: A savagely cruel, brutal, or inhuman deed ; a m onstrosity.
For days after the city had fallen to the enemy. bands of drunken
soldiers wandered the streets, committing one atrocity after another on
the helpless and terrified population.
"You m ay call that thing a hat," AI exclaimed. "I call it an atrocity."
Related Forms: (adjective) atrocious; (noun) atrociousness
Usage Note:
Atrocious (pronounced ;:J-tro'-sh;:Js) means n ot only "extremely cruel or
brutal" (as In the phrase "an atrocious crime") but also "extremely poor
or bad" (as in the phrases "atrocious b ehavior" and "atrocious taste").
A trociousness, the noun form, is used in exactly the same way.
Synonyms: (nouns) enormity, outrage; (adjectives) barbarous, barbaric ,
sadis tic ; grisly, gruesome (Word 216). gh astly ; heinous (Word 222),
outrageou s; horrible, dreadful, abominable
Antonyms: (nouns) kindness , good deed, act of charity; (adjectives)
clem ent, b enevolent, kindhearted, m er ciful, humane; Impeccable,
flawless, irreproachable, unimpeachable
Related Phrases: war crimes, a crime against humanity
45. at-ro-phy
noun and verb
a'-tr;;}-fe
[a (Greek). "without" + trophe (Greek) , "nourishmen t")
Definition:
a. (noun) A failure to develop normally; a progressive wastin g away or
decline.
Medical exper ts state that almost every case of muscle and tissue
atrophy is the result of changes In cell nutrition, disease, or prolonged disuse.
Th e tremendous influx of wealth. luxuries, and s laves that resulted from the acquisition of foreign lands was in part res ponsible for the m oral atrophy of the Roman ruling class .
b . (verb) To waste away.
"Well, here I am," Mr. Kravitz thought to himself sadly on the
m orning of his 40th birthday, "a middle-aged m an whose talents
are beginning to atrophy."
Related Form: (adjective) atrophic
Synonyms: (nouns) deterioration, degeneration, decay; (verbs) decay,
deteriorate, degen erate. shrivel, wither, shrink, rot, stunt
Antonyms: (nouns) growth, development, m aturation; (verbs ) grow,
develop. mature, flouris h , prosper
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46. at-tri-tion
noun
;;>-trish'-;;>n
(attritio. attritionis (Latin), "a rubbing against," from ad (Latin). "ag ainst" +
terere (Latin), "rub"]
Definition:
a. A gradual wearing down or weakening of resistance resulting from
constant friction, pressure, or harassment.
Guerrilla warfare achieves its ends through a slow but steady process of attrition, rather than by victory in a quick, winner-takeall campaign.
"A heavyweight boxing match is not so much a pitched battle as a
war of attrition," the sportscaster observed. "For that reason, the
winner is usually the fighter who is not too battered and exhausted to go on."
b. A gradual, often natural decrease in size, strength, or number as a
result of resignation, retirement, death, or the like.
"The sales department is a bit overstaffed," the firm's personnel
manager remarked. "However, the normal rate of attrition
around here should solve that problem fairly quickly."
Synonyms: (nouns) abrasion, erosion; exhaustion, enervation; reduction,
diminution
Antonyms: (nouns) increase, augmentation, expansion, enlargement
47. aug-ment
verb
og-ment'
[augmentum (Latin), "an increase," from augere (Latin). "to increase"]
Definition: To make greater; to become greater.
If we are to contend with the population explosion, we must augment
the world's food supply.
Traffic noises in the street outside my window augment appreciably
during rush hour.
Related Form: (noun) augmentation
Synonyms: (verbs) increase, enlarge, expand, extend, magnifY
Antonyms: (verbs) decrease, lessen, reduce, curtail (Word 114), diminish;
contract, shrink, shrivel, abate, slacken, dwindle
48. au-gur
noun and verb
6'-gur
(augur (Latin), "soothsayer, diviner"]
Definition:
a. (noun) Someone who can forecast the future by spotting various
signs or indications of what is to come.
"I know you claim to be a reliable augur of future trends and developments in the economy," Mike remarked. "Still, your predictions are usually no more accurate than other people's."
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b . (verb) To predict or foretell through signs; to point to or be an omen
of.
The Aztecs of Mexico believed th at comets augured impending
disaster, even the end of the world.
The enthusiasm with which our candidate has been greeted all
over the country certainly augurs well for success in the upcoming election.
Related Form: (noun) augury
Usage Note:
The noun augury (pronounced 6'-gy;;J-re) means a number of things: (1)
"the a rt of forecasting the future," (2) "a prophecy," and (3) "a sign or
omen ... Accordingly. words that mean the same thing include both d i vination and prediction, as well as portent, premonition, and harbinger.
Synonyms: (nouns) soothsayer, diviner. prophet. seer ; (verbs) prophesy.
d ivine, prognosticate; portend. forebode, presage. bode. foreshadow
The ina uguration of John F. Kennedy, J anuary 20, 1961.
Augur
In ancient Rome, the augurs were a group of priests w ho sought to discover, by observing certain signs, whether or not the gods appr oved of a
proposed policy or action . The sign most often used for this purpose was
the flight of birds. although the a ugurs also depended on such phenomena
as lightning. comets. and the appearance of the entrails of animals. The
"taking of the auguries" preceded every important public action, and especially in the early days of Rome, was widely used by private individuals.
From augur, we get the word inaugurate. meaning "to begin formally;
to induct into office." and the corresponding noun. inauguration. The
hope is. of course. that the omens will be favorable for such an important
beginning.
A specialist a mong soothsayers or diviners in ancient Rome was the
auspex, who depended specifically on the flight of birds. From this title,
we get the word auspicious. meaning "favorable, under good omens." and
its opposite, inauspicious.
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49. aus-tere
adjective
6-ster'
lausteros (Greek) . "harsh . rough, bitter. unadorned")
Definition: Rigidly severe; severely simple or bare.
My grandfather was an austere man whom I never knew to laugh or
smile.
During World Wa r II . living conditions in Engla nd were extremely
austere because of severe shortages of food. fuel, and consumer
goods.
The Puritans practiced an austere , cheerless form of reHgion.
Caesar's simple, even austere, style ofWiiting contrasts gr eatly with the
complicated and ornate manner of Cicero.
Related Fo rms: (nouns) austereness, austerity, austerities; (adverb) aus-
terely
austere s urroundings, an austere manner, an a ustere diet; a life
of austerity; the austerities imposed by want
Phrases:
(adjectives) stern. strict. straitlaced; abstemious. sober.
puritanical. ascetic; solemn: harsh. forbidding; somber. gloomy;
plain, u nadorn ed, u n decorated
Syno nyms:
Anto nyms: (adjectives) gentle, mild, kindly; affable (Word 15). tolerant;
self-indulgent; elaborate, involved; orotund. florid ; gaudy. fla mboyant
50. au-then-tic
adj ective
6-then'-tik
!authentikos (Greek). "genuine")
Definition: Genuine . trustwor thy.
''The painting the salesman showed you has to be a fake." Vera in for med me. "You can't buy an authentic Rembrandt for five dollars."
Related Forms: (no un) a uthenticity; (verb) authenticate
Phrases: an a uthentic record , an a uthentic document, an authentic
account
Synonyms: (adjectives) real, true, actual. veritable, bona fide. legitima te,
kos her; indisputable, indubitable
Antonyms: (adjectives) counterfeit, fra udulent. fake. forged, spurious .
phony. bogu s , apocryphal; dubious, untrustworthy. fis hy
Usage Notes:
a. The synonyms and antonyms listed above include a number of colloquial or slang terms, including jake, phony, bogus. and frshy.
Kosher. a colloquial term meaning "legitimate or proper," has come
into English (via Yiddis h) from the Hebrew word k ash er. meaning "in
accordance with J ewis h dietary laws and. therefore, clean or proper."
b. Bonafide, literally meaning "in good faith ." is one of a large group
of words and phrases that English has borrowed without change
from Latin. In Englis h it means "genuine" or "s incere."
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Using the Words
Exercise I. Syllabication and Pronunciation
Syllabicate the following words correctly, and place the major
stress mark ( ' ) after the syllable that is accented when the word
is pronounced.
1. astute
2. atone
3. atrocity
4. attrition
5. augment
6. authentic
Exercise II. Words Out of Context
In each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses
the meaning of the numbered word at the left.
1. asylum
a. prison b. booth c. arena d. haven
e. office
2 . atrocity
3. augment
4. augur
5. authentic
a. natural talent b. inhuman act
c. outstanding accomplishment
d. grievous fault e. kind deed
a. imagine b. solidify c. belittle
d. curtail e. enlarge
a. accumulate b. bode c. expiate
d. compensate e. refine
a. phony b . gross c. kosher d. cagey
e. rotten
Exercise Ill. Completing Sentences
Complete each of the following sentences by selecting the most
appropriate word from the group of words given below. Make whatever
adjustments are necessary to fit the words into the sentences properly.
atone
astute
attrition
atrophy
austere
augment
1. The reason why premed programs have such a high rate of
is simple: A great many students find the
course of study too demanding and turn to something easier.
2. Protestant churches in New England tend to be _ _ _ __
structures with little or no architectural adornment.
3. It was never clear whether the defendants had been acquitted
because they were innocent or because they had an _ _ _ __
lawyer who found a clever way to get them off the hook.
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4. I have heard it said that many people no longer know right
from wrong and have, in effect, sunk into a profound state of
moral _ _ _ __
5. Paying for the repairs that are necessary seems to be an effective way to
for the damage you have done.
Exercise IV. Synonyms and Antonyms
Classify each of the following pairs of expressions as S for synonyms or A for antonyms.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
erosion-attrition
gaudy-flamboyant
perceptive-dense
seer-prophet
bona fide-bogus
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
sanctuary-refuge
flourish-wither
magnify- minimize
impeccable-flawless
humane-barbaric
Exercise Y. Framing Sentences
A. Use each of the following words in an original sentence that
clearly illustrates its meaning.
1. asylum
2. atrocity
3. atrophy
4. attrition
5. augment
6. augur
B. Give a noun form of each of the following words, and use it in
an original sentence that clearly illustrates its meaning.
1. astute
2. atone
3. authentic
4. austere
Dissecting the Words
Roots
1. The Greek root auto(s), meaning "self' or "same," is found in numerous English words, including authentic, studied in this lesson. Here are
some other words in which this root appears:
autocrat (literally "self-ruling")-a ruler with unlimited or unrestricted
power; a tyrant or despot. Noun: autocracy; adjective: autocratic
autopsy (literally "seeing with one's own eyes")-the examination of a
dead body to determine the cause of death
autonomy-independence; self-government. Adjective: autonomous
autograph-a person's own signature or handwriting
autodidact-a person who is self-taught
automatic-self-operating; running or working by itself
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2. The Latin root ag, act (as in the Latin verb agere. egi. actus) means
"act. drive."" It occurs in such words as agenda (Word 18) and agile
(Word 20). Other words derived from the same root include:
exigency-a driving need
agitate-to stir up
coagulate-to form into a compact mass; to congeal
enact-to make into law; to act out on the stage. Noun: enactment
cogent-forceful; convincing
cogitate (literally ""drive about in one's mind"')-to ponder or consider
intenlly
Suffix
The sufflX ·ize (Britis h variant. ·ise) has the general meaning of ··make or
make in to ... It has proved to be a handy tool for making a verb out of a
noun or an adjective. For example:
popular + ize = popularize-to make popular
deputy + ize =deputize-to make into a deputy
Sometimes. of course. the spelling of the form to which -ize is attached is
modified in some way in the new word. For example:
pole + ize = polarize (not potize!)-to concentrate around two conflicting
or contrasting positions
fraternity + ize =fraternize (not jraternitizel)-to be sociable with
Exercise
1. Answer the following questions regarding words containing the
root auto(s).
a . The word autointoxication may be u sed in both a p hysical
and a psychological sense. Explain the two senses in which
the word may properly be used.
b . E:>..-plain the italicized word in this sentence; "The remaining colonies in Africa demanded autonomy."
c. What part of the human nervous system is referred to as
autonomic? Why is this word a ppropriate?
d . What does autosuggestion mean? Explain its origin.
2. With or without the aid of a dictionary, define each of the
nouns or adj ectives listed below, and convert it into a related
verb form by adding -ize. (Make any spelling changes that are
n ecessary.)
a. victim
b. dogma
c. politics
d . trauma
e. deputy
f. eulogy
g. civil
h. legitimate
i. proselyte
j. tyranny
k. social
I.
plagiarism
m. theory
n. radical
normal
0.
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Enriching the Lesson
Exercise I.
Latin Phrases in English
As indicated earlier in this lesson, bonafide is just one of a large
group of phrases that English has borrowed without change from
Latin. Some other examples are listed below. What does each
mean in present-day English? What is its literal meaning in
Latin?
alter ego
quid pro quo
de facto
persona non grata
obiter dictum
amicus curiae
de jure
status quo
pro tempore (often
shortened to pro tern)
10. prima facie
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
11. modus operandi (often
shortened to MO)
12. ex officio
13. alma mater
14. sub rosa
15. in absentia
16. vice versa
17. casus belli
18. non sequitur
19. sine qua non
20. deus ex machina
Exercise II. "Newsworthies"
A number of the basic words studied in this lesson , including
atrocity, attrition, and asylum, frequently crop up in newspaper
and magazine articles and on radio-TV news programs. Each
gained a currency that made it newsworthy. A number of other
examples of newsworthy expressions are listed below. With or
without the aid of a dictionary, explain what each of these item s
means. Then use it in a phrase or sentence of your own.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11 .
12.
13.
14.
15.
detente
an activist
deficit s pending
elitist
a police state
dumb down
a pluralistic society
a welfare state
a civil libertarian
permissiveness
a status symbol
urban renewal
disinformation
a reactionary
sexist
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21 .
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
the establishmen t
gentrification
insider trading
ra pprochement
a conservative
downsizing
neoconservative
a grass-roots movement
open diplomacy
software
a third-world n a tion
the feminist movem ent
a liberal
the inner city
human rights
Can you think of any others to add to this list?
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Exercise Ill.
Yiddish in English-Is It l<osher?
Yes, today it certainly is kosher (a Yiddish word meaning "clean"
or "proper") to use the word kosher colloquially. All dictionaries
sanction su ch usage. A word or phrase that is Yiddish in origin
and has been assimilated into our daily language is called a yiddishism.
Many of us use yiddishisms without being aware of their origin.
Here are a few familiar expressions that are actually translations
from Yiddish: O.K. by mel How come? H e knows from nothing. It
shouldn't happ en to a dog. What's with the jokes?
It should be noted that since many of these adopted expressions
are identified as either slang or informal by the dictionaries, they
must be handled with care. One should n ot u se them in formal
writing. Some of the words flll a langu age need. For example, we
have no equivalent English word or phrase to pinpoint the kind of
annoying m eddler that the yiddishism kibitzer denotes.
The American writer Leo Rosten (1908-1997) made a comprehensive study ofYiddish in English. Two of the words that he analyzes in detail are chutzpah ("unbelievable gall") and megillah ("a
long, boring, overdetailed account"). The yiddishism shtilc-meaning "a stylized or arch piece of acting overused by a performer"-is
widely u sed, especially among actors and theater people generally.
The yiddishisms listed below are in common use. How many of
them can you define?
1. yenta
5. schlock
9. schmaltz
2. men sch
6. kvetch
10. nosh
3. kvell
7. schlemiel
11. schlepp
8. schmooze
12. maven
4. klutz
Can you sugges t any other words or phrases that would be
appropriate for a lexicon of yiddishisms?
Exercise IV. Expanding Your Word Power
The words listed below are not on the Basic Word List, but they
were mentioned in passing in Lesson 5 . All of them would make
u seful a dd itions to your working vocabulary. Defme each, give its
etymology, list two synonyms and two antonyms (where possible).
and u se in a short senten ce that clearly illustrates th e word's
meaning.
1.
2.
3.
4.
acumen
obtuse
enormity
grisly
5.
6.
7.
8.
redress
impeccable
deteriorate
enhance
9.
10.
11 .
12.
clement
foreshadow
fla mboyant
spurious
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