Vocab Unit 4

By: Abhiraj Pudhota

Atrophy• (n.) The wasting away of a body organ

or tissue • Any progressive decline or failure• (v.) To waste away

Bastion • (n.) A fortified place, stronghold

Concord• (n.) A state of agreement, harmony,

unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

Consummate• (adj.) Complete or perfect in the highest

degree • (v.) To bring to a state of completion or

perfection

Disarray• (n.) Disorder, confusion • (v.) To throw into disorder

Exigency• (n.) Urgency, pressure; urgent

demand, pressing need; an emergency

Flotsam• (n.) Floating debris; homeless,

impoverished people

Frenetic• (adj.) Frenzied, highly agitated

Glean• (v.) To gather bit by bit; to gather small

quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

Grouse • (n.) A type of game bird; a compliant;• (v.) To complain, grumble

Incarcerate

• (v.) To imprison, confine, jail

Incumbent• (adj.) Obligatory, required• (n.) One who holds a specific office

at the time spoken of

Jocular• (adj.) Humorous, jesting, jolly,

joking

Ludicrous• (adj.) Ridiculous, laughable, absurd

Mordant • (adj.) Biting or caustic in thought,

manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

Nettle• (n.) A prickly or stinging plant• (v.) To arouse displeasure, impatience, or

anger; to vex or irritate severely

Pecuniary• (adj.)Consisting of or measured in

money; of or related to money

Pusillanimous• (adj.) Contemptibly cowardly or

mean-spirited

Recumbent

• (adj.) In a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

Stratagem• (n.) A scheme to outwit or deceive

an opponent or to gain an end

And now….

USAGE

Example 1

• 1. As I was engaged in a conversation (between, among) several of my friends earlier today, I noticed that some of them have a difficult time forming __________________ arguments that have real content and legitimacy.

• BETWEEN = 2 things• AMONG = several things

Example 2

• To _____________ my incendiary actions is one thing, but to repeatedly brandish me with constant animadversions is really more (then, than) necessary in getting your point across to me.

• Then= sequence• Than = comparative

Example 3

• Since you were able to substantiate all of your facts, I find myself giving great _________________ to your theory about the (effects, affects) of global warming.

• Effect = NOUN (cause and effect)• Affect = verb

Example 4

• In a _______________ world, the streets would be paved with gold, silver, and pages of Moby-Dick, fulfilling our insatiable desires for wealth and (ensuring, insuring) that we are never bereft of literary inspiration

• Ensure = to make something more sure• Insure = insurance… to guard against

something

Example 5

• My teacher asked me to (lie, lay) down the vocab book in close __________________ to myself at all times so I would never be too far from Jerome Shostak’s intellectual largesse.

Lie and Lay – they get their own slides!

• “Lay" is a verb meaning to put or place something somewhere. It takes a direct object. Its principal parts are "lay," "laid," "laid," and "laying."

Examples: Every day I lay the book on the table. Yesterday I laid the book on the table. I am laying the book on the table right now

• In all these examples, the verb is a form of the word "lay," and the direct object is "book."

Continued…

• "Lie" is, in this context, a verb meaning to recline. It does not take an object.

Examples: Every night I lie down. I have lain down many times. I am lying down right now.

FREE HINT: If you're in doubt about whether to use "lay" or "lie," try substituting a form of the verb "place."

Example 6

• We have found that in the ________________ stages of a community’s development there tend to be (less, fewer) overt examples of neighbors fighting with each other, and many more instances of halcyon, neighborly camaraderie.

• Less = a singular subject (money, sense, intensity)

• Fewer – several items (examples, people, chances)

Example 7• .It would seem that your _________________ attitude in

school is only preventing you from advancing (farther, further) in your academic development, and that an adjustment into a more avid academic will certainly benefit your intellectual growth.

• Farther: Refers to physical distance only.• Further:

1. Moreover; in addition; to a greater extent.Example: We need to discuss this further.

• 2. To help forward, advance, or promote an undertaking, cause, etc.

• Example: Elisa had more desire to further her own interests than to further the mission of the organization.

Example 8

• If we can somehow _________________ the truth of the circumstances from beneath all the layers of uncertainty, it will probably be much easier for us to (except, accept) the results that have precipitated from these actions.

• Except = used in the case of an exception• Accept = verb: to receive

Example 9• As I was ________________ to English class with much

celerity and eagerness, someone tripped me, but I have not yet been able to determine the student (who, which) is responsible for this devious act.

• Who refers to people. That and which refer to groups or things.

• Examples:Steph is the one who rescued the bird.James is on the team that won first place. He belongs to an organization that specializes in saving endangered species