Vocabulary Unit 3
Jan 18, 2016
Vocabulary Unit 3
Abridge (v)To make shorter.
• Link: a bridge
The state ran out of bailout money and had toabridge the bridge.
Context Clue Sentences
• We were forced to abridge the baseball game due to severe weather.
• The writers of the Harry Potter movies had to abridge the lengthy story so the film wouldn’t be too long.
• Kanye West’s outburst forced Taylor Swift to abridge her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Adherents (n) a follower, supporter; (adj) attached, sticking
to• Link: add her aunts
After using many sticky adherents to tack the pictures to the family tree, the girl realized she forgot to add her aunts.
Context Clue Sentences
• People for the ethical treatment of animals, or PETA, adhere to very strict beliefs about animal cruelty.
• She was an adherent of the movement to end worldwide child hunger.
• Gorilla Glue is the strongest type of adherent. It can even attach a 10 lb. dumbbell to the ceiling.
Altercation (n.) an angry argument
• Link: Alter
The bride and groom had an altercation at the alterbecause the best manforgot the rings.
What did I get myself into?
I knew I should have picked more responsible
friends!
Context Clue Sentences
• My sister and I had a serious altercation when she borrowed my favorite pair of red pumps without asking.
• The altercation between the opposing teams became violent when some of the players began throwing punches.
Cherubic (adj.)resembling an angel portrayed as a little child with a
beautiful, round, or chubby face.
• Link: Cheer
The angelic cheerleader had a cherubic face.
• The Gerber baby was selected for the ad campaign based on it’s chubby cheeks and cherubic features.
• The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is adorned with a multitude of cherubic looking babies depicted as angels.
Condone (v.)to pardon or overlook.
• Link: Condo
• Listening to loud music at 3:00 a.m., throwing wild parties, and instaling a swimming pool on your balcony is not behavior that is condoned when living in a condo.
• One thing Lincoln-Way does not condone is cheating on tests and plagiarism on papers.
• My parents were willing to condone the fact that I got a speeding ticket since they know I am typically a responsible driver.
• Miss Porick does not condone sleeping in class or other off task behavior.
Dissent (v.) to disagree, (n.) disagreement
• Link: to diss
• After their disagreement about the Cubs and the White Sox Moira dissed Angela by slamming her locker and walking away.
Context Clue Sentences
• My boyfriend and I dissent about Jay Cutler’s performance for the Chicago Bears.
• The dissent regarding the student’s failing grade was resolved when she realized she forgot to turn in her semester paper.
• A dissent over a parking violation ended with the driver being forced to pay the fine to remove the “boot” from his tire.
Eminent (adj.) famous, outstanding, distinguished:
projecting• Link: Eminem
Eminem is a rapper that some fans would consider to be eminent.
Context Clues
• Marylyn Monroe is an actress who has an eminent reputation.
• Receiving the eminent Nobel Peace Prize is a prestigious honor.
• Oprah and Michelle Obama are utilizing their eminent reputations to help Chicago win the Olympic Bid.
Exorcise (v.) to drive out by magic, to dispose of
something troublesome• Link: exercise
• The contestants on the Biggest Loser plan to exorcise their fat cells by exercising.
Context Clues
• The priest had to exorcise the demons from the little girl’s body.
• In order to exorcise the ghost from the house the tenants had to hire the Ghostbusters.
Fabricate (v.) to make, manufacture, or invent
• Link: Fabric
• I used fabric to fabricate my Halloween costume.
Context Clue
• The teacher had to quickly fabricate a test because her computer had crashed the night before.
• When I learned that we would have 10 extra guests at the dinner party I had to quickly fabricate a way to portion out the food evenly.
Irate (adj.)angry
• Link: I HATE…
• I’m IRATE because I HATE that Andrew beat Lincoln-Way West last Friday.
Marauder (n.) A raider, plunder
• Link: a motor
• The MARAUDER stole a motor boat!
Obesity (n.)Excessive fatness
• Link: A big city
• There are many tasty restaurants in a big city. Dining at them too often may lead to Obesity.
Pauper (n.) an extremely poor person
• Link: pop
• Soda pop executives have become paupers after marketing turkey flavored pop.
• The prince and the pauper is a tale of two people who trade places and social classes.
• After investing in Enron, many people became paupers because of the crash in their stocks.
• After shopping for expensive back to school clothes my mother joked that she had become a pauper.
• What is one thing you could spend your money on to easily become a pauper?
Pilfer (v.) to steal in small quantities
• Link: thrill
• Some people get a thrill from pilfering from popular stores.
• You could become very wealthy by pilfering small amounts of money over a long period of time.
• I pilfer the candy from the candy jar every day but now there is none left.
• Who arrrrrrrrr some popular characters that pilfer things?
Rift (n.)a split, break, breach
• Link: raft
A rift in a raft can lead it to sink!
• There was a rift in the security system at the Pentagon.
• The rift in my new jeans got larger and larger as I continued to move around.
• While hiking on the mountain we had to be very cautious of rifts in the rocks.
• What is the biggest celebrity rift you can recall?
Semblance (n.)A likeness; an outward appearance; an
apparition• Link: resemblance
• There is some semblance between pet owners and their pets. You may have a resemblance to a Chihuahua or a poodle.
• All of the Gosselin children have a semblance to their parents.
• That impersonator has a striking semblance to Elvis Pressley.
• Some of you may plan to attempt a semblance of a celebrity or cartoon character for halloween.
• Who is someone that you have a semblance to? (related or not)
Surmount (v.)to overcome, rise above
• Link: Mountain
• We surmounted the mountain by making it to the peak in under 12 hours.
• I plan to surmount my busy schedule this year by using my academic planner and staying organized.
• By practicing the piano every day, Michelle was able to surmount the difficult piece of music.
• Actors, musicians, and performers must force themselves to surmount their fear and nervousness before taking the stage.
Terminate (v.) to bring to an end
• Link: Terminator
• The Terminator put an end to the bad guy’s reign of terror. Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as the “Governator.”
• My job as an installer of countertops was terminated when I dropped a $6,000 piece of granite.
• The party was terminated when all the pre-schoolers began to have temper tantrums.
• The show Family Guy was terminated after being considered too raunchy and controvercial for public television.
Trite (adj.)commonplace; overused, stale
• Link: Like
• The word “like” has become trite. It is used far too often as a pause in between statements which is not the word’s intended purpose.
• The phrase “talk to the hand” quickly became trite as many people began to use it in everyday conversation.
• “I Got a Feelin’,” “S.O.S.,” and “Pocket Full of Sunshine” are some examples of songs are trite. Radio stations need to improve the variety of their music choices.
• What is something popular in your culture that you believe has become trite?– Fashion– Movie Quoes– Catch Phrases– Songs or TV Shows
Usurp (v.) to seize and hold a position by force or
without right• Link: You work
• You work hard to earn a higher level position at the office only to have the position usurped by the boss’s son.
• The Illinois Senate seat was usurped by Rolland Burris who bought his way into the position after Barak Obama became President.
• King Hamlet was usurped by King Claudius in the Shakespearean play Hamlet. Claudius wished to marry the King’s wife and therefore murdered King Hamlet by pouring poison into his ear.
• Has something ever been usurped from you? – Sports– A Position– A job or priviledge– Explain…