Lesson 4
31 . anomaly -
31. a-nom-a-ly
40. assimilate
noun
;:)-nom'-;:)-le
!an [Greek) . "not" + homalos [Greek). "even." from homos [Greek). "sam e''}
Definition: A deviation from what is normal or expected.
Charles Darwin wrote that there was no greater anomaly in natur e than
a bird that could not fly.
Related Form:
(adjective) anomalous
an anomalous situation, in an anomalous position; an anomaly
in the world of politics
Phrases:
Synonyms: (nouns) abnormality, peculiarity, oddity, freak, misfit; incongruity: (adjectives) abnormal, irregular, freakish, deviant, atypical; in-
congruous
(noun) the norm; (adjectives) normal, usual, commonplace.
ordinary, regular, typical; congruou s
Antonyms:
32. ap-a-thy
noun
ap'-;:)-the
Ia [Greek). "without" + pathos [Greek). "feeling: suffering"}
Definition: Lack of feeling, emotion, or interest.
l hoped that my idea for the class project would be greeted with some
enthusiasm. Instead , it met with complete apathy.
Fewer people turned out to vote this year. This is indicative of the growing apathy with which the general public s eems to regard political campaigns.
Related Forms:
(adjective) apathetic; (adverb) apathetically
(nouns) indifference, unconcern, aloofness, detachment, impassivity: (adjectives) indifferent, uninterested, aloof, detached, stolid,
impassive, unfeeling, emotionless
Synonyms:
(nouns ) enthusiasm. ardor, fervor, zeal (Word 399); concern.
interest: (adjectives) interested, concerned: ardent, fervent, keen. zealous, passionate
Antonyms:
Usage Note:
Be careful not to confuse uninterested and disinterested. A person is
said to be uninterested when he or she takes no interest in something;
a person is said to be disinterested, however, when he or she has no
self-interest involved in the m atter. Thus, uninterested is a synonym of
apathetic, but disinterested means the same as impartial.
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33. ap-pall
verb
d-p6l'
iap(p)alir. (Old French). "grow pale," from ad (Latin). "at" + pallere (Latin) . " be
pale"!
Definition: To fill with intense horror, fear, or dismay.
The huge number of soldiers killed during the bloody battle of Antietam
appalled the entire na tion, both North and SouU1.
I was appalled to learn that a fistfight ha d broken o ut on the floor of the
State Senate yesterday.
Related Form: (adjective) a ppalling
Phrases: a n appalling s ight; appalling disclosures
Usage Note:
Appall. a lso spelled appaL implies a strong sense of helplessness in the
face of something truly enormous or m onstrous.
Synonyms:
(ve rbs) horrify, shock, astound, stupefy, stun, dis may;
(adjectives) honifying, s hocking, stunning, horrific. frightful, dreadful,
fearful
Antonyms: (verbs) please. cheer, gladden , exhilarate. elate: (adj ectives)
cheering. gratifying. exhila rating
Related Phrase: be aghast at
34. ap-pre-hend
verb
ap-ri-hend'
lad (Latin). " t o" + prehendere (Latin), "seize"!
Definition:
a. To arrest or lake into custody.
The police apprehended the escaped convict a bout three blocks
from the prison.
b . To per ceive or understand the meaning of.
One cannot fu lly apprehend the principles of our Constitution
without studying the Federalist Papers.
c. To look forward to with fear or anxiety.
The doctor assur ed his patient that there was nothing to apprehend in the forthcoming operation.
Related Forms: (nouns) apprehens ion, a pprehensiven ess; (adjective) a pprehens ive; (adverb) apprehensively
Usage Notes:
a. The no un apprehension has several meanings: (1) anxiety abou t the
future; (2) an arrest; (3) understanding. Apprehensiveness. on the
other hand, indicates merely uneasiness about the future.
b. Apprehensive means "fearful of what may be coming."
Synonyms: (verbs) s eize, capture. nab. collar; grasp, comprehend. discern, fathom (Word 185): dread, fear. have misgivings about. anticipate
th e worst. h ave a foreboding of; (noun) discernment
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35. ar-bi-trar-y
[arbiter
adjective
ar'-bd-trer-e or ar'-bi-trar-e
(Latin). "judge" + -arius (Latin). "connected with"]
Definition:
a. Subject to or determined by one's judgment; random.
"The example I have used is purely arbitrary," the speaker told her
audience. 'Tm sure all of you could come up with others that
would be just as illuminating."
b. Arrived at by an exercise of the will, personal preference, or whim,
as opposed to being based on reason or justice.
The sentence a judge hands down should be based firmly on
accepted principles of law and justice. It should not be a purely
arbitrary decision.
c. Given to willful decisions or demands; tyrannical or dictatorial.
He wouldn't make a good supervisor because he is so arbitrary
and overbearing in his dealings with others.
During the reign of Czar Nicholas I (1825-1855), the Russian
government became increasingly arbitrary and repressive.
Related Forms: (adverb) arbitrarily; (noun) arbitrariness
Synonyms: (a4jectives) judgmental, discretionary; capricious, irrational;
prejudiced, partial; unreasonable; high-handed, overbearing, despotic,
autocratic, authoritarian
Antonyms: (adjectives) objective, fair, just, equitable (Word 166)
Related Phrase: a judgment call
36. ar-bi-trate
[arbitrari. arbitratus
verb
ar'-bd-trat
(Latin). "give judgment," from
arbiter
(Latin), "judge"]
Definition: To act as an impartial judge in a dispute; to settle.
Both the union and the employer have confidence in Mr. Donelli's fairmindedness and knowledge of the industry. That is why he was chosen
to arbitrate the contract dispute.
Related Forms: (nouns) arbitration, arbitrament; arbitrator, arbiter; (adjectives) arbitrational, arbitrable
Phrases: submit to arbitration, binding arbitration; an arbiter of taste,
arbiter elegantiae (or elegantiarum)
Usage Note:
An arbitrator (or arbiter) is the person who is chosen to settle a dispute.
Arbitration is the process by which a settlement is reached. Arbitrament
is the act of s ettling the dispute or the settlement that is finally made.
Arbitrable means "open to arbitration." For example, if the president of
a union says that certain demands are not arbitrable, he/she means
that they are not negotiable. An arbiter elegantiae is a judge of what's
tasteful and what isn't.
Synonyms: (verbs) adjudicate, mediate
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A collective b argaining session under th e direction of a m ediator.
37. ar-ray
verb and noun
;}-r a '
larayer (Old French). "arrange." p ossibly from arredare (Vulgar Latin). "arrange"!
Definition:
a. (verb) To line up; to dress u p .
Scouts fir st brought the gen er al news that the en tire enemy force
was arrayed a long a series of hills not two miles d istant.
The various cr ews and contingents participa ting in the Mardi Gras
parade were arrayed in the most fantastic and elaborate ou tfits.
b . (noun) An imposing grouping; rich and beautiful attire.
Th e defendant entered the courtroom accompanied by an impressive array of lawyers and other legal advisers.
Soldiers in full battle array patiently awaited inspection by their
commanding officer.
Usage Note:
Originally array meant "to ready for battle." though the word is r arely
used in this sense today. Nonetheless, something of this association
with the military still clings to the word's more modern usages. A careful inspection of the examples given above will reveal this.
Synonyms: (verbs) align; assemble, draw up. m arshal. muster; deploy;
adorn, deck ou t. doll up. gu ssy u p; equip. ou tfit. accou tre; (nouns)
a lignment, lineup; finery; equipm ent, accou trements
Anto nyms: (verbs) d isperse. d isband. dismiss
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38. ar-tic-u-late
verb: ar-tik'-y;:>-lat adjective: ar-tik'-y;;>-lit
[articulare. articulatus (Latin). "say clearly." from articulus (Latin), "division ; part"l
Definition:
a . (verb) To pronounce distinctly; to express well in words.
b.
The speaker couldn't be understood becau se h e slurred and mumbled his words instead of articulating them clearly.
One of the duties of a president is to articulate the policies and
programs of his administration in a forceful and convincing way.
(adjective) Expressed clearly and forcefully; able to employ language
easily and fluently.
The president's statement in defense of his economic program was
unus ually articulate and effective.
Helen was chosen to present our petition to the mayor because
she is the most articulate speaker in the class.
Related Forms:
(nouns) articulation, articulateness
(verbs) enunciate; clarifY, expound (Word 180). elucidate,
explicate; (adjectives) fluent, eloquent, silver-tongued, glib
Synon yms:
Antonyms: (verbs) mumble, mutter, maunder, swallow one's words;
(adjectives) slurred, unintelligible , garbled; inarticulate, incoherent
39. a-skew
adjective and adverb
;:>-sky60'
!Derivation uncertain but probably a (Middle English). "on"+ skewl
Definition:
a. (adjective and adverb) Out of line or position; turned to one side.
The drawers had been pulled out of the bureau, the lamps had
been knocked over, and every picture on the wall was askew.
b . (adverb) Disapprovingly; scornfully.
"Why is the principal looking askew at m e?" I wondered. "Do
have my shirt on backwards or something?"
(adjectives) crooked, cockeyed, uneven, unsymm etrical,
awry; (adverb s) disdainfully, contemptuously, askance, derisively
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
(adjectives) straight, symmetrical; (adverbs) approvingly,
benignly
Usage Notes:
a . Note the somewhat subtle difference in the use of askew and awry
(pronounced ;:~ -ri') . Aslcew is usually reserved for concrete objects
such as lampposts and hats. Awry, on the other hand, is generally
u sed for more abstract things such as plans, arrangements, or
actions .
b. Also note the distinction between askew and askance, meaning
"sideways" or "oblique(ly)." Askew usually implies simple disapproval or scorn. Askance (variant, as/cant). however, implies
mistrust and suspicion as well as disapproval.
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40. as-sim-i-late
verb
d-sim'-d-lat
(ad (Latin). "to" + similis (Latin) . "like; same"!
Definition:
a . To absorb fully or make one's own: to adopt as one's own.
Some children assimilate new information more quicldy than others.
The body m ay assimilate some foods more easily than others.
America has assimilated the cultural traditions of m any different
peoples, and this process has gr eatly enriched our national life.
b . To ada pt fully or to make like.
High school s tudents are often under a great deal of pressure to
assimilate their manner of dressing to tha t of their peers.
Related Form:
(noun) assimilation
Usage Note:
The word assimilation is much used by sociologists to indicate the process by which individuals belonging to a minority group adopt the living
habits and standards of the dominant group in the society. The process
is also called acculturation. (For the u se of assimilation in linguis tics , see
page 57.)
Every year thousands of immigrants from all over the world become naturalized citizens of our country.
Synonyms: (verbs ) integrate, h omogenize: fuse. m erge: natura lize. acculturate; digest; incorporate. appropriate; adjust, transform
Antonyms: (verbs) segregate, isolate, ins ulate
Related Phrases: a process of natu ralization ; in the mainstream: a
separatist movem ent, a standoffis h attitude
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Using the Words
Exercise I. Parts of Speech
Indicate the part of speech of each of the following words. Two
answers are possible in some instances.
5. apprehend
1. apathy
3. array
6. articulate
2. askew
4. arbitrary
Exercise II. Words in Phrases
In each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses
the meaning of the italicized word in the introductory phrase.
1. apprehended the suspect
a . accused b . protected c . caught d. released e. tried
2. an articulate proponent of the plan
a . long-standing b. unexpected c . well-known
d . eloquent e. self-appointed
3. an anomaly in today's world
a. adage b . issue c . element d . ideal e . abnormality
4. with the bedclothes all askew
a. crooked b . faded c. clean d . torn e. neat
5. a totally a rbitrary group of numbers
a. meaningless b . random c. unlikely d . useful
e. u nworkable
Exercise Ill. Completing Sentences
Complete each of the following sentences or pairs of sentences by
selecting the most appropriate word from the group of words given
below. Make whatever a djustments are necessary to fit the words
into the sentences properly.
appall
apathy
arbitrate
assimilate
anomaly
array
1. "Randy must be totally uninterested in politics," Tony
observed. "Lately I've noticed that an expression of profound
_ _ _ _ _ and boredom comes over his face every time the
subject comes up."
2. In the face of my opponent's formidable
of facts and
figures, I was forced to concede that I was wrong.
3. 'The only practical way to settle this dispute," the attorney
remarked, "is to call in an impartial third party to _ _ _ __
it. ..
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4. It may take long hours of hard work to
all the
technical data you need to become a computer programmer.
5. The devastation and suffering wrought by the meteorological
phenomenon called El Nino
the entire country.
Exercise IV. Synonyms and Antonyms
A. Match each word in Column A with its synonym in Column B.
Column A
Column B
l. comprehend
a. askance
2. mediate
3. disapprovingly
4. dismay
5. tyrannical
b. horrify
c. despotic
d . referee
e. grasp
Indicate which of the basic words taught in this lesson (Words
31-40) is synonymous with each of the words in Column A.
B. In each of the following groups, select the two words that are
most nearly antonyms.
l.
2.
3.
4.
5.
a. adorn b. mediate c. muster d . instill e . disperse
a. inarticulate b. ordinary c. objective d. eloquent
e. scornful
a. boredom b. oddity c. process d . norm e . umpire
a. keen b. dreadful c. apathetic d . partial e. straight
a . equip b . appall c. manage d . elate e. capture
Exercise V. Word Roundup
1. Explain the difference in meaning between disinterested and
uninterested.
2. What special meaning does the word assimilation have for a
sociologist? for a linguist? Give a synonym for assimilation as
used in sociology and one for the word as used in linguistics.
3. What is an arbiter? an arbiter elegantiae (or elegantiarum)?
Exercise VI.
Framing Sentences
Use each of the following words in an original sentence that clearly
illustrates the word's meaning.
1. anomalous
2. apathetic
3. appall
4 . apprehensive
5. arbitrary
6. arbitration
7. array
8. articulate
9. askew
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Completing Verbal Analogies
Analogy Question Type I. Perhaps the simplest type of analogy question
used on standardized tests (and also the easiest word relation s hip met
with) is shown below. For convenience, the four elements involved in this
sample have been la beled A , B, C, and D.
Type I
A
B
abs olve
exonerate
C
D-----------.
abstain : (indulge, acquit, forgo, impeach. abet)
What the student is being asked to do in this type of question is com plete an analogy that is three-quarters fmished. The student is to do this
by selecting one of the five choices offered under D. Note that these choices are italicized within a pair of parentheses.
Completing Type-/ Analogy Questions Correctly. There are three basic
steps involved in the correct completion of Type-I analogy questions.
Step 1: Look at items A and B, and determine the r elationship between
them. A and B represent the two words that are in the key or given rela-
tionship. The key or given r elationship usually comes before the equa ls
sign (or before the word as) in an analogy question. It indicates which
word relationship is being used on both sides of the equa ls sign in the
particular analogy under consideration. (In this book th e words in the key
or given r elationship are printed in boldface t ype so they can be spotted
easily.)
In th e sample analogy given above, the relationship between A and B
(absolve, exon erate) is clearly sameness. Absolve and exonerate, as indicated in Lesson 1 (page 29), are synonyms; they mean the same thing.
This means that the relationship between C and D must also be one of
sameness. In other words, the answer selected from the group of five
choices given under D must mean the same as C.
Now look at C, and determine what it m eans. In the sample, C
is abstain, which, as indicated in Lesson 1 (page 29), means "refrain :·
Final.ly, look at the group of choices offered under D, and select
the word that means the same as abstain. This is the item that is needed
to complete the analogy correctly.
And what is the word wanted? It is forgo, which was listed as a synonym
of abstain on page 29.
The other choices offered under D are clearly wrong. Indulge means the
opposite of abstain, and the other words (acquit, impeach, and abet) bear
no relation to it whatsoever. (Note, however, that acquit is a synonym of
absolve and exonerate, whi.le impeach means the opposite of these two
words. These items were intentionally included in the group in order to
confuse the student. When doing analogy questions, always keep an eye
out for such traps.)
"A Means the Same as ." Thus, the complete analogy reads:
absolve : exonerate = abstain : forgo
Note that the word relations hip involved in this sample is sameness. We
can expr ess this r ela tionship in abstract terms as ''A means the same as
B: C m ean s the same as D. " This rela tionship is one of the most frequently used on standardized tests.
70
Exercise I
Complete, the following analogies.
1. agenda : schedule
=
affectation
(sincerity, adversity,
mannerism, conclusion, aesthetics)
2. ambivalent : uncertain
= equivocal
: (illusory, abominable,
eventful, ambiguous, unanimous)
3. advocate : champion= critic : (accessory, opponent, teetotaler,
flatterer, bystander)
4.
anomaly : misfit
= anarchy
: (setting, jrealc, chaos, denun-
ciation, yarn)
5. academic : theoretical
= opulent
: (civil, destitute, natural,
unsociable, luxurious)
Exerc ise II
Write three complete analogies of your own to illustrate the word
relationship "A means the same as B; C means the same as D. " In
two of your original analogies , use at least one of the basic words
studied in Lessons 3- 4 (Words 21-40).
Noah Webster
In 1828, Noah Webster (1758-1843) ,
America's first scientific lexicographer,
published a two-volume American
Dictionary of the English Language.
This work and its successors down
through the years have made the
name Webster synonymous with dictlonary in American households. What
got Webster started on the dictionary
project was his profound dismay over
the continued u se of British textbooks
and dictionaries in American schools
after the United States had become
independent from Great Britain. Thus,
Webster began his great work in a
spirit of national pride. When he was
finished, his dictionary contained
more than 12,000 words that were not
listed in any other dictionary then
available. Many of these new items were "Americanisms"-that is, expressions coined and used by Americans. Sales of the dictionary were
tremendous, and the work did much to shape and standardize the spelling
and pronunciation of American English. Webster produced a second edition
of his dictionary in 1840, and the work has been revised and updated many
times since then. Indeed, Webster's dictionary (in its revised form) is still a
staple item in libraries and households in the United States.
71
Enriching the Lesson
Exercise I. Our Greek Heritage
The words apathy (Word 32) and anarchy (Word 28) are but two of
the numerous English words based on Greek originals. Some other
words of the same type are listed below. With or without the aid of
a dictionary, define each , and indicate wh at the original Greek
word or word elemen ts meant.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
archaic
cacophony
neophyte
paragon
phobia
stratagem
misanthropic
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
philanthropy
dogmatic
dynamic
epid emic
panegyric
sophistry
monopoly
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
cataclysm
dynasty
pedantic
pedagogy
didactic
orthodox
Exercise II. Order and Chaos
1. In Lesson 3 you learned that anarchy denotes the chaos
resulting from a lack of effective government. The following
words indicate different types of government. (An anarchist is
opposed to them all.) Defme each term in such a way as to
bring out the distinctive characteristics of the type of government involved.
a . democracy
c . socialism
e . fascism
b . theocracy
d. communism
f. oligarchy
2. Answer the following questions, or supply the information requested.
a . What is a nihilist? nihilism?
b . What is a subversive interested in doing? Give a verb related to this word, and tell what it means.
c . What is meant by sedition? Give an adjective related to this
word, and tell what it means.
Exercise Ill.
Expanding Your Word Power
The words listed below are not on the Basic Word List, but they
were mentioned in passing in Lesson 4. All of them would make
useful additions to your working vocabulary. Define each, give its
etymology, list two synonyms and two antonyms (where possible) ,
and u se in a short sentence that clearly illustrates the word's
meaning.
1. stolid
4. elate
7. capricious
2. indifference
5. discern
8. adjudicate
3. aghast
6. misgiving
9. deploy
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Academic Vocabulary
The following vocabulary words and phrases are often u sed in literary analysis and composition classes. Like anecdote, introduced in Lesson 3, they are useful when discussing an author or
critiquing a work of literature.
annotation
noun
a-nd-ta'-sh;m
Definition: A critical or explanatory note written to comment or s h ed light
on a text.
From the extensive annotation of the manuscript, scholars concluded
that the author consistently revised h er original work.
archetype
noun
ar'-ki-tlp
Definition: An original model on which something of the same type is patterned or copied.
In numerous folktales and fairy tales, the wicked stepmother is the
archetype of evil-a figure who epitomizes spite, envy, and oppression.
didacticism
noun
di -dak'-td-Si -Zdffi
Definition: A style of writing or speech deliberately crafted to teach or
instruct others, especially in mora ls.
Literary elements such as characterization, irony, conflict, and suspense
help to mask Plato's didacticism in many of that philosopher's Dialogues.
epigraph
noun
e'-pd-graf
Definition: A brief quotation at the beginning of a book; an inscription on
a building or monument.
T. S. Eliot chose a quotation from Dante's Inferno as the epigraph for
his long dramatic monologue, ''The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
hagiography
noun
h a -ge-a' -grd-fe
Definition: A book about the lives of saints; a biography that elaborately
idea lizes the author's subject.
As a literary genre, hagiography is most often associated with the
Christian tradition, but Buddhism and Islam have also produced works
of this kind.
juxtaposition
noun
j dk-std-pd-zi' -shdn
Definition: The act or an instance of placing two or more (usually dissimilar)
things close together or side by side, especially in order to compare them.
You will be impressed by the juxtaposition of the museum's original
19th century building and its modern new addition.
lexicon
noun
lek' -sd-kan
Definition: A d ictionary: the special vocabulary of a particular author or
field of study.
Writing grant proposals to philanthropic foundations has its own specialized lexicon, and successful proposals nearly always incorporate
the appropriate terminology.
73
paradigm
noun
per'-d-dim
Definition: A pattern, model, or example; an overarching concept that is
generally accepted becau se of its effectiveness in explaining a complex
idea or process.
In order to tell the story of the Fall of Adam and Eve in Paradise Lost,
John Milton relied on the paradigm of the classical epic, adapting the form
used in the heroic epics of Homer and Virgil.
Exercise. Completing Sentences
Complete each of the following sentences by selecting the most
appropriate academic word or phrase.
1. The main theme of a novel, play, or poem is often suggested by
the
that the author selects to introduce the
work.
a . annotation b. epigraph c. lexicon d. archetype
2. The advent of the Internet has changed the business _ _ _ __
for corporations throughout the world, allowing them to promote their businesses and reach new customers in an entirely
new way.
a. paradigm b. lexicon c. epigraph d. didacticism
3. The museum's
of Picasso's early paintings with
his later works showed how the artist's style had evolved over
the years.
a. lexicon b. juxtaposition c. paradigm d . annotation
4. That difficult passage from Homer's Iliad contained several
unfamiliar words that the student had to look up in a specialized _ _ _ __
a . annotation b. archetype c. lexicon d. hagiography
5. Frequent ly, academic writers develop a scholarly _ _ _ __
of th e texts they use for research.
a. archetype b. annotation c. j uxtaposition d. epigraph
6. For centuries, literary critics regarded
as an
indispensable element of literatu re. Samuel J ohnson, for
example, declared that the purpose of poetry was "to instruct
by pleasing."
a. didacticism b. epigra ph c . hagiography d . archetype
7. J ames Boswell could easily have written a
of
Samuel Johnson, a man whom he greatly admired; instead,
Boswell's The Life of Samuel Johnson is a fully rounded portrait of its s ubject.
a. juxtaposition b. archetype c. hagiography d. annotation
8. TheunpretentiousQueenJulianaoftheNetherlands(l909-2004)
did not like to be addressed as "Your Majesty." Preferring "Madam"
instead, she was the
of a modern monarch .
a . archetype b. annotation c. epigraph d. lexicon
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