WEEK 14 VOCABULARY

SAUNTER (VERB, NOUN)

• To walk in a slow relaxed manner, not in a hurry; a leisurely stroll

• Instead of hurrying to class, many students just saunter down the hallway.

• I took a quiet saunter down the road.

RAVENOUS (ADJECTIVE)

• Very eager or greedy for food, satisfaction, or gratification

• I was so ravenous after the game that I ate four hamburgers!

PINNACLE (NOUN)

• A lofty peak, the highest point, any pointed or towering part of a formation

• He was at the pinnacle of his mountain climbing career.

• The pinnacle of a mountain is the last place you’ll find me!

NEBULOUS (ADJECTIVE)

• Hazy, vague, indistinct, confused; cloudy or cloudlike; lacking definite form

• The concept of “fairness” is often nebulous.

• The nebulous shape in the distance made me a bit afraid.

FRET (VERB)

• To be constantly visibly worried or anxious

• You should not fret about the future; everything happens for a reason.

FORLORN (ADJECTIVE)

• Pitifully sad, abandoned, or lonely; something unlikely to succeed, hopeless

• The forlorn puppy in the commercial made me want to go adopt a dog right away!

• He made a forlorn attempt to escape.

EXHORT (VERB)

• To strongly encourage or urge someone to do something; to give urgent advice, warnings, or recommendations.

• The commander exhorted the troops to hold the line.

DISCONSOLATE (ADJECTIVE)

• Without consolation or comfort; sad, cheerless

• After we lost the championship game, we were all disconsolate.

• I am disconsolate about the winter weather.

CYNICAL (ADJECTIVE)

• Believing that people are motivated by self interest and are generally dishonest

• My experience teaching has made me a bit cynical when it comes to students’ essays.

CONTRITE (ADJECTIVE)

• Feeling or expressing remorse or repentance, affected by guilt

• Small children and dogs often have a contrite look on their faces when they’ve been caught doing something they shouldn’t.