Ambiguous to Virtuoso Lesson 9
Jan 12, 2016
Ambiguous to Virtuoso
Lesson 9
Ambiguous—adjhaving more than one
meaning; unclear
I can’t stand it when directions are ambiguous; I need step-by-step directions.
I was fortunate that even though my parents divorced, they were
able to maintain an amiable relationship.
Amiable—adjfriendly, sociable, congenial; civil
We were surprised by the parents’ crass behavior at the hockey game.
Crass—adjcoarse, crude, unrefined
r
It was hard to follow his discursive comments; at one point he was blaming the president and
at another time he was talking about Hitler.
Discursive (adj)rambling, moving from one topic
to another randomly
Some people find dogs to be more docile as pets than cats are.
docile: easily managed, obedient,passive
Estrange- to alienate; to separate
My older brother had been estranged from the family for years; therefore, it was a surprise to hear
from him by email.
After a long, protracted trial, the innocent man was finally exonerated following the introduction of DNA
evidence.
exonerate: to free from blame, obligation, or
responsibility; to exculpate
Many people complain these days of the gratuitous sex and violence found on prime time television.
gratuitous: given freely, unwarranted
Some have hypothesized that global warming is a direct correlation of our dependence on fossil
fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas .
hypothesize: to reach a conclusion based
on an assumption or something not proven
The Egyptian government underestimated the public’s indignation and stamina during the protest.
indignation: anger as a result of something unjust
The tension induced by the large, diverse gathering erupted in chaos.
induce: to bring on or to bring
about
When we try to get our golden retriever to go in his crate, he is intractable.
intractable: stubborn, difficult to
manage
Students who take time to write and read are often more introspective and as a result they make better
problem solvers.
introspective: the quality of
examining one's own mind or thoughts
The medicine made my father-in-law more lucid after his stroke.
lucid: easily understood,
mentally sound
I wish I could be as meticulous about cleaning my car as I am about cleaning my house.
meticulous: taking great care
Albert Camus ‘ novel The Stranger is a classic story about a misanthrope who kills a man and feels no
regret.
misanthrope: a hater of mankind
•The benevolent philanthropist presented the munificent gift of a full-ride scholarship to the high school graduate.
•Oprah’s gift of a car to everyone in the audience was munificent.
munificent: very generous
With all the available information on the computer, many students plagiarize material without realizing
it.
plagiarize: to steal and to use
another's writings as one's own
The ostentatious wedding included a proliferation of profuse flower
arrangements that overwhelmed the simple church.
profuse: extravagantly abundant,
flowing freely
recluse: a person who lives in
solitude, a hermitHe was becoming a recluse, often avoiding people and spending days alone in his messy house with
the overgrown lawn.
Many of Chaucer’s pilgrim characters were sated with ale before telling their tales.
sated: satisfied fully, indulged to
excess
Alcohol has a stupefying effect on a person, and can make driving safely nearly impossible.
stupefy: to dull the sense as to put
into a stupor
I did not approve of her terse reply---I’d much rather she call me when she had time to chat.
terse: concise; laconic
Many of the developments in Ashburn cater to transient families who relocate frequently for jobs.
transient: quickly passing, fleeting
She loved and practiced the trumpet so much that many considered her a virtuoso.
virtuoso: one skilled in the fine arts as an accomplished musician, a savant