‘The Wizard of Oz Vocabulary Builder AIL Rights Resecved 2 2008 by Mase Phillips ‘No patt of this hook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any ‘means, grphie, electronic, of mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, of by any information storage retrieval system, without the permission ‘writing from the publisher For information addres: ‘A.J. Comell Publications 18-74 Corporal Kennedy St. Bayside, NY 11360 Coverillustration by Debbie Phillips Cover desiga by Jonathan Gullery Libary of Congress Control Number 2002096732 ISBN; 0.9727439.0-1 Printed in the Unites States of AmericaChapter 1 “The Tornado” Once upon a time, a winsome! young oxphan named Dorothy lived with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a bleak, hardserabble? Kansas farm. Located about fifty feer feom theic Spartan} little house was a small undergsound com called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those mighty, house-crushing whiehvinds arose. Dorothy's one real joy came from playing with Toto, her little black dog, Toto had long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny little nose. Together they frittered away many an afternoon, frolicking among the haystacks in perpetual delight, far beneath the pellucid! Kansas skies. winsome If you're insane, you're naturally charming, engaging, adotabe, win ning, ete, and sou peobahly have a childlike inaocence, oo. The woed is used more often to describe a ferale than a male, When I add Pl th the nw fib comedy stared Meg Ryan be sai “Let me es he play a winsome yng ona who finds foe, but ot anil ‘ele ie outer of th i” hardscrabble This word deserbes things (towns, farms, Ind, ete) that provide ‘very litle ia rem (crops, for example) for much effort. People who live a hv rabble existence (mountainside farmers, for example) bately subsist. ly 1985 Pabiser Prige-nngy coli? Ruse! Baker sai. "Gaat clese pred a bizar ety ou when seule papi insted that the miserable chee produ by thse maleate red) on miseabe hardsrable earth nas actualy sepeir tothe magaicent eam cbse ofthe noblest diy aia rd nthe rican alls ofthe earth” Spartan If something is Sfurtan, i's severely simple or restrained. Note: The word is usually capitalized because it refers to the ancieat Geeek city of Sparta, famous for ite stsict discipline and strict way of Kile. Wie she sla th bane as drat (no rags, me deisnacks, and bare flr) she eelimed, “Ths plas i as Spartan as a wonk's Deon” pellueid If vomething is Jui (the tense of being trsnyparent, it allows hight to [piss through. Hue when you refer to something as uc, you mean that it allows the atemam parable aescunt of light to pass thoouph Tl antpallton compan fo ured tare Arian Fadian standing om Hl bide a eld bookRD C (OC ABULARY BUILDER One day, while hunkered! down to milk a mottled? cow, Uncle Hensy kept an ansious eye toward an increasingly ominous? sky above, Suddenly seeing the long grass ripple before him, he froze Now there came a sharp whistling from behind him, and as he turned his head he saw undulations in the grass in that divection also. ‘The usually phlegmatics farmer bolted straight up in alest at- tention. “There’s a twister coming, Em,” he shouted to his wife. Ever solicitous® of his livestock, he bolted toward the ban hunker (hunkered) To dunker is t squat or crouch down. Thus, if you're hun- ered down, you'se squatting down, lose to the grow. The male omorad main tained am mpg pation bt hnkered down a ac cre and bf ach, ping ram. ‘motiled If something ix se it's sported or blotched with different eslor oF shadings. Our abn cat's cnt was mated nth shade of brown, bck, and whit ‘ominous If something is mina, it gives you a feeling that something bad is shout to happen, It comes from the word ose, which means “a sign that foretells «| {oswally bad) future vem.” br ibe 1975 En Jes, the shark's appearance asa nae (to the audios) by ow, ons mas “ undulate (undulations) 1f something snes, it moves with smooth, wavelike motions. Undelton age these wavelike motions, Bill vided danang a partes base hd’ le ese endalating—ar nahin ay non rntions, fr tt mtor—in pub 5 phlegmatic In the days before modem medicine, ie was believed that if you had _phlgorthat thick mucus that sometimes gets annoyingly stack in your throat—i ‘aused you to not care too much about things and to be slow or shigish. Today, if you say someone is pleat you mean that he doese't get excited to0 exsily, he's father uiemotional aud indifferent. Note: Dictionaries wil tell you that the word is pronounced with a hued gut many people pronounce it witha silent s. On Haan ten exe, 1988, journalist Dvd Strife arte, “Asodig to sterope, the Bngish are ph ‘matic and inperturbal) sol ach larly explains the atacton of place ke the Cham of Hors in Madune Tess’: Waxc Museum or the Loudon Durgon,jnch combines the taal of Disaand with he spin of wel, Jack te Ripper.” yous When you"te saa of (or about) someone, you're thoughtfully can cxmed (often ansiously concemed) about his welfare, heal, or safety. Mas! Abn ‘ant were solitons of Lindberg at ring his solo 1927 rant fh fro New York to ric Note: Don't confuse this with the woed slit that you sometiaes see on signs (on buildings) that say “No soliciting.” Those signs basically mean that doce to- «door salesmen are not permitted to seek businens there.RD C (OC ABULARY BUILDER With uncommon alacrity, Aunt Em dropped her work and san to the doos. One glance at the lowering? sky told her of the coming danger. “Quick, Dorothy!” she sheieked. “Run for the cyclone cel la” Galvanized? into action by Aunt Em’s strident* exhortation’, Dorothy grabbed Toto and followed her aunt to the metal trap door that led to the sanetuary® of the underground room. But just as she ‘was about to enter, Toto jumped from her arms and scampered back into the house. After cunning this way and that, he found what 2 alaerity When you do something with alan, you do it right away and speedily (and often with a cheerful willingness). Our bore std tha obi, the pot empliee war ‘one slo epended tis ones with poenss and ali. lowering This woud is a ticky one because it huts like it might pestsin to being, low (asin dow din, coe to the rend). Tut, infact, the frst syllable (low) docs’ siyme with “know” it saymes with “now” To dbeer chymes with “shower” ist ‘be dack and threatening, Thos, a dneriay shy isa dask and threatening one. Arcam ante Winch» Hose’ weet faa painting, The Gulf Stream (1899), thous aman in Lon! boat tglng aginst aging beneath nein ty » galvanize (galvanized) ‘The lite messing of this wood is “to staaulate with aa lctre current” (and you can imagine how stacling that would fed), But people uaually wse the word figuratively. If something gaanizes you, it suddenly arses you to act. The Sri saci! larch of Spusik ix 1957 gahunizad the American goer met ito alerting ts wn space programe. jddent A sound desccbes as sridentis oud and shell, Wide Reson componer Sel rubs ek pies ore wen bach and ride, i er mors wore ete pling di val > exhort (exhortation) When you svi’ someone, you give him an wrgent warning for an uigent piece of advice. An exertion is an act of exhorting othe urgent mes sage ital. During Wald War J, Herbert Howser, th US: Foad Adsiniastr, achat acenies to abione “meats Mondays” and “wbeatse Wodrasys™ ar food comeraton * wametuary Originally, tenary was a church or past of church, But now the ‘woud can describe any place that offers protection from haat. ¢ can aso sefer to the imanity from harm the place offers. Same expres bel tae who ecg cred fa ea pasion, were exiting am amon aging for the santa of te worWIZARD O} (OC ABULARY BUILDER seemed to be a safe haven'—a spot under the center of Dorothy’s bed. Not yet appreciating the full power of the storm, and despite her aunt’s hurtied admonitions?, Dorothy stated back to setcieve the lirtle dog, feom the house, which, framed against the eerie®, electeified sky, lost its prosaic outlines and became mysterious and threaten- ing. After she had taken only two steps, the tornado descended vio- lently, decimating’ everything in sight. The wind, tearing past her at ninety miles an hour, seized a sharp-edged shingle from the roof and flung it downward through the air like @ guillotine that missed Doro- thy’s neck by mere inches. ‘Now the wind took hold of the gil and knocked her down. All around hes, flying flowerpots, demuded® branches, and pieces of haven A jiisy odginally meant “a uatwel harbor used to keep ships safe.” Now the word can be used to refer to aay place of safety. Whe some ofthe 1 orginal coe ies gore proteton to ported rile grips, Goorgia ar comand ax en for Egdh ‘ions! admonition (admonitions) An adniton is « warning or a piece of cautionary sclsice. The veab i admonish Mot cobbvoks admonth th rir fe avoid vercooking pasa sand mtb » eerie IF something is ae it makes you feel fearful or uneasy, a if some sinister power or mysteious (or even supematurl) force were at work. 24:30 a.m the fg ‘herd rrp as ei ad ants tbe prosaic Prose (onlinary witing) is supposedly less beautiful and imaginative than poetry. So if something (aot just waiting, but auyhing) is desided as prow, it's commonplace, ordinary, and run-of-the-mill. usr UFO sightings ve brig presi esplaations—refbted sani fram apa, wath balun, or meteroegicalplemavna for samp 5 decimate (decimating) This word arignll sefermd to the kiling (es punish. ‘ment for mutiny) of one ont of every ten soldiers (chosen by lot). (Note the mot she, which refers to “tea.") But today the word is used to refer 10 any great loss of life or large-scale destruction. Exes say shut di smoking papulation will dinate by ding cane © denuded 1f something has been denied it has been stripped hare (ofits natural ot usual covering). (Note the siilaty to the wood mide) Earthgacher and lds ane og, gdm Hal's Apocrine original fot werwr ARD O} CABULAR’ fence smashed to bits as they steuck the geound. She slowly raised herself to her feet, and, inclining! her body sharply forward, set out again toward the house. But her flapping dress hobbled? her as it clung to her legs at every step. With her head down and arms stretched out before her, she stum- bled on, feeling her way like a blind giel. After every few steps some unseen flying object appeared from the darkness and struck her. But when she screamed out in fear and pain, her own voice was obliter- ated’ by the deafening, insane music of the switling storm, With great difficulty she had now crossed the yatd, and as she was about to enter the house, the storm made a final malevolent! ges: ture. Two sharp metal gutters, stripped from the roof by a single blast of wind, came flying toward her like pacillel spears. Before she knew what had happened, she saw them stick themselves deeply into the ground at her feet! Now inside the house, she desperately looked for Toto. The wind, which outside the house had maintained a constant course, now swirled around the furniture in a hundred directions and made it im- incline (inclining) An isve is a slanted swsface. To inci something isto sant cor anhe iA alpen a std oe partnar dirton by icing tho a of the onan ppl oh that dtm hobble (hobbled) If you've ever ted to walk with your pants around your a es, you know wat it fel ke 10 be Jb If something Mbbks you it doesn't Deere you four wnlbiag, i ol mbes walling diBew, Sometimes» kore’ legs tne fistned together to prevent fe toda, when that happens tbe horse hat tien Abd, end the pce of sope called a bh, The word can be wed gues tively 1o refer vo anything that resins or hinders Fe 1904 ste Bach Rick Ib Deby ie ad by It religions tn pling on Sanda wat doped by the Grint Rode > obliterate (obliterated) If something ix abitd, is completely wiped out 40 hat there's no tece of it, Most of re Landon sur abobod én Charts Dicken" sets er obleraed by homing raids dering Wear War I malevolent Someone (or something) alvoli usually has 4 natu evilness or ill ‘wll and wll cause (or would like to cause) hagm or injury to othees. When she reptad ‘hat ale ma hr aay ther greeter’ ho, Title Red Rade Hood ner mpetd that ‘Me wolf war ately bong mallet intents(OC ABULARY BUILDER possible for Dorothy to walk in a straight line. She was tossed and battered like a ship ina maelstrom! until an erratic? vortex? caught her and flung her upon her bed, where she lost consciousness. ‘Then something strange ensueds, The house, now at the center of the romnadlo, where the air is somehow steangely still, whisled around ‘wo of theee times, then started to rise slowly through the air like a balloon. Once at the pinnacle’ of the twister’s funnel, it was whisked across the boundless firmament® maelstrom A sselirom is any lage oF powerful whitpool Ts named after an sctual whislpool (named Maelo) located off the coast of Norway, The word can ko be used figuratively to deseae any violent or turbulent situation, ain fe aad rum of waror te enero of morning taf: Dring the 2000 preside von, the ste of Pra bear canal in ractro ofcnpeing eins of tar imten of te notes” cratic If something i emai, i lacks comity, uniformity, or sepa. IE something moves erate it docsn' fallow a fixed or sgula couse; fms fom place to place. 1984 art nthe London Times tal tht adem Avar-vining ‘Arron aes Hilo aye "education wa era oh be ned oad by corti te gi bs fie ang.” vortex A vores a swiding mass or columa of water oF sr (especially one that has the power to daaw into it whatever suzounds i). The word also caa be used fguss tuvely 10 describe anything (other than suieling water or ai) that deaws into ss cen tee all that surrounds it, The Braulnay actor ws ental, swept inte the sorties of Helbwood. “ensue (ensued) To say that some action o¢ activity exter is to say that it happens ‘takes place (often immediately) asa remit or consequence of some prior action fe activity. fer Aba Linola aus eted Praidnt (1860), the South reed fro the ion an the Ci! Wear ena * pinnacle ‘The pismasl of something i its highest point. ‘The word can refer t0 a physical high point, but is often used to refee 1 2 figurative high point (as of an achievement, for eximple). Io his 1963 bok The Quiet Crisis, US. Seretany of the Interior Stuart Usa seid, “Pe and aay pedo pinnacle of wel ad poe yt we fa Lad of rans bean, of incrsasing mines, of srinng apn pace, and of an onl tavirnme hat is drs daily by potion and aise." * firmament The word firmin? cat be wred as « syuonym for sy when sly ix thought of as “the expanse (or great arch) of the heavens.” The worl can also be ‘used figueatively to mean “highest plane” Plato, ints Buddha, and Conf are arn be frac of ght(OCABULAR’ When Dorothy finally regained consciousness she saw that the aie in hee room was stil, but she lay on the bed with Toto beside her until hee shattered nerves began to compose themselves. Then she looked out the window and was horrified to see that her house was airborne! It was terribly dark outside, and the wind, which refused to abate!, howled horribly Dorothy found that in spite of the surrounding, turbulence?, the house was riding quite easily. When several hours had passed without ‘catastrophe, she settled down a bit, and then, examining her situa- tion, began to seriously lament? her plight’, After all, when the house fell again, she and Toto could be smashed to pieces, With a brave but spurious® insouciancel, she decided to wait and see what abate If something (bad weather, conflict, pai, cathusiasn, interes, for example) alates, it becomes less intense; it dies down, The jaar-ald ethnic conf in amas ofthe _farser Vga rowed ngs of abating turbulent (turbulence) IF something (ar or water movement, ox an et, Fr ex amnple) is tarbukt, stormy, agitated, violent, ete."The nous is taut With its sill nights proves, antinar protests. and asassination, the decade from 1960-1969 is ofa en oy bron a "Ye turn sie.” Mament If you Zien something, you fecl or express grief oF sorrow over it (a in she lated har mother’s dow). But you don’t have to lament ev something, you can just plain lament (es in oor sin Jr pup rm ana, al abe ds men) In Ap! 1999 Journal Rael Alecander, poaking of "Fhe Great One,” sid, “Showing th yar and pie ‘at marked is 20-year NEIL cer, Wayne Greghy inday ae offi! the rinavent bey fan Kave Been lamenting fr da.” «plight A pil is « bad or unfavorble condition oF situation, ‘The word is used especially ifthe situation is tying or unfortunate, asin he plight ofthe homens, Daring "Ye t81b and 19% ceteris, many poverty-stricken rural files rpnded to tr plight by minting in. ® spurious ‘To describe something as gurus (pronounced SPYUR-ei) is to say that i Iacks authenticity; i's not the genuine aril; i's counterfeit, fake, bogus. A _purions argument is an llogieal one i leads toa fase conclusion. J» Mare? 1990, ih Los Angeles Vines npor that at Britch musent "a pros Gtscentary (ton fi us exposed enh aftr someone natn that it dpiced a fae fre varing T9thcentey am deme”wr ARD O} CABULAR’ UILDI ‘would happen next. But the gentle swaying of the house was a sopo- rific?, and Dorothy finally became drowsy and fell asleep. insouciant (inrouciance) Someone who's inociant(prounounced in-SOO-re-enl is cateiee, unconcemed, without anxiety. Ifyou remember that the French word ‘uel means “ears and that the paefe i means “withou,” it's etsy ta vemember That fnsaciens means “without care.” Dnaacan is the non, Aseabyg to the Cam bridge Biogeaphical Encyclopedia, Bitch aor Reger Moor “gt eho auc ance othe rae of tional rt servic age) Jase Bard.” soporific As « noun, a sporfeis something (a devg or boring speech, for example) tha canses you to fesl sleepy. As an adjective if means “casing sleepiness” Call meicines containing abl and antleamies bare a poi effwr Chapter 2 “The Munchkins” A sudden shock jolted Dorothy awake. She noticed that she was back on the ground unseathed!, and she gratefully patted the pliamt? martsess she and Toto had been lying upon. Brilliant sunshine suf fused? the house with light. Dorothy, feeling restored and refreshed, leaped from her bed and ran to the door. Then, as a wave of uncer- tainty came over her, she gingetly* pushed it open. As she stepped outside, a little cry of amazement escaped ftom her lips. As her pupils contracted to adjust to the bright sunlight, her eyes simultaneously widened at the unbelievable vista® she beheld. mickling brooks meandered® though verdant! fields, and tunseathed This word means “wabuet, unharmed, eninjueed.” Who she Spare She He Endeavour landed at Cape Canaveral in Sepuamber 1995, 2 waste int te in monte (hat he O-ring sa cam a wns ® pliant Something that’s pst wil bend, flex, or yield seul, it won't be still Senor find cast manila plat ay thaw ly that bas baron > guffuse (suffused) To wffiseis to completely spread through oF over (something) to saturate (as with liquid, color, feeling, ete). In Vict Hage's 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, (formed bal ring) Quasind's bart becomes sed with ove whens ests (he bout yp gi) Esmerha « ingety To do someting gig to do it emefllyo cations (ad therefore sometimes even delat), 20a co avoid danger or sik, Whoa tar, 9 hae on fm Dh tal he dm mt is, ty ging had ont oat it ted 5 ise 4 sie is « cow (ooally of « mansea setting), especially a fae reaching oF [panoramic one. Tle Malas sand of Cap, oman frit ep caves, mal ema, and baat Ji dat, as en afd rn for aver 2000 ya © meander (meandered) If something (s river, for example) doesn't follow staaght coves, but instead follows a timing and winding comrse, i mando IF you tule about people ot language (conversations stoxes, ete) meant, you sean that ‘hey winder sitmlessly. Te flan slo mroe a novel ie onan dow te Mee’ adr tad thie stry ws writen by th iverson trader od i plot 91 ZARD OF OZ VOCABULARY BUILDER variegated? profusions of flowers sprang copiously? fom hacusi ant! banks. Friendly trees proffered’ comucopias* of luscious fits, and singing bieds of biilliant, iridescent” plumage uttered from bush to bush, verdant If you say that land ie sere, you mena that is greea with vegetation, oF that is covered with gris of plants. The word can alo simply mean “prea in coloe” Bark tts mamed Vermont's Gen Mouatans fram he serdunt frat of xergreens ator hee variegated IF something is sori it's masked by patches or spots of many dif ferent colors often ts dappled or hus a patch work effect, Err al many Now York tr ete to New Eland ar the vanced antrnn ae. Note: The word can also mean “diversified, diverse, varied, tc.” » copious (copiously) To deserve something as cps isto say that it's large in {quantity o¢ amount; is plentiful. The Marsud! Pw Qopased in 1947 ty Sere of ‘Stat George C Marsal) nasa prmgan by wich the nit Stat gave opus nmi aid Enrypan soars i op lo rebar tb dsatason of World War Tl fuxuriant Don't confuse this word with Jewuraes (which means “characterized by lsu”). The word Lever is usually used 19 descabe land—Land that's excessively fertile and productive, land that produces abundant, even superabundant, veges tion, The anata Iotands are lrg) covoe ith lan eation ® proffer (proffered) This word mems “to offer; to put before someone for aep: tance oF rejection,” You might use the word pny (es opposed to af if the con. text is tery oF to imply that the offering in question hus beea motivated by [generosity oF courtesy. (Note thatthe ¢ sound in the first sllable is the sound of @ 1 on, not ef} When, in the ove the wished Oren poe shiny but poisoned ape to Sa Wing we al seth seamed, “Don take it « comucopia (comucopias) You've probably sen « picture of « curved, cone shaped baskst (or hollowesd-ost goat’ hoen) oveclowing with fut (and somtimes flowers and getin, foo). Thats known as 4 arn of lot) on 4 corns, But Big tively, the won! sgsies any reat abundance oe overflowing suppl of something He peed te paper tthe ep stl” eo ad as ged by erp of epyent pponanits iridescent If something is siden it has oF displays shining, glowing colors, like those of a inbow. Sisuarald Bil) asad to adm to Bi tc tht the raion be war feito te fo bana that he’ er some tha rch me and inf of ths baling staring in wonder al tiridecent streaks of a oi sk. 10(OCABULAR’ ‘All this was so different from the arid!, gray prairies she had known, that Dorothy surmised? she was no longer in Kansas. She promptly divulged her little epiphany? to Toto. For a while, she stood, mouth agapes, in a state of transfixed’ incredulity’. As she finally came out of her stupor, she noticed a arid This word means “dey" oF “very dey" and is usually used in desenbing land ‘The implication is that the land so described i unproduetive, parched, or barren, “The Foner Dane and its reer, Lake Most. soppy igo mater br aay ares of tear Souter, surmise (surmised) To sure something isto take on educated guess about it TF you don’t have any concrete proof of something, but you do have some slight ev ‘ence of it, the best you can dts eerie. The ancient astronomer ake increta ‘wie that he plats, along vith th san and ars raed aren the earth epiphany Ifyou have a sudden revelation, comprchension, insight, or understand ing about something (especially something considered impoetant or fr-reaching), you've had an qipiiny. The implication is that asx sesult ofthis revelation your hfe wil somehow be differnt ax better. fer (ind and dy gr) lon Kell’ oipbany’that onde pra bjs, er harm reed rapid “agape Ifyou say that someone's mouth is agate you mean that ts open in wonder or amuement If you say that person is ze you mean that he has his mouth ‘open in wonder or amazement. In te 1982 fim E.—The Extea-Terrestal, wen Elo older bother fst sc ET, stands gn mith aot age wansfixed If you sce something amazing, scary, awesome, captivating, etc, aad your attention i fixed on it 0 the point that you become motionles, you're {sad In Deembor 2000 journalist Mary Quarta, peaking of sew day, said, “When “gins ofall. als may fore stranded cars and iprsable rads, but adr ae tani ‘ya shimmering vision Skt Sanne! Seba cle for day!” “ imeredulous (incredulity) If you're inves (pronounced in KREJ yh) about something, you doa't believe itor you find st dificule ro believe. The noun s-esty (ronomeed in fh.DOO-bhi oF in-rah DYOO. He) means “the state of being incredulous." Ix 1493 kiter (raul to Engi in American History Leallets) 2 the ‘Trazrorof (he Spanch rion of) Aragon amauning Wis dewey of Amense. Chip Coles srs, “Aloagh these lads ad been eran ad talked of bre they wre som, ‘mame Blend ined 19 maw ah te bt ai tale” unwiz ARD OF (OC ABULARY BUILDER knot of strange little people approaching her. They were only as tall as children, but they looked to her much older. ‘There were several men, but only one woman, The bewhiskered’ men Dorothy thought to be about as old as Uncle Heney. But the ‘woman, wizened* and hoary!, with a stiff, deliberate gait’, was ‘stupor When you're ina daze, or when your mental faculties have been desdened or greatly diminished ofien by shock, drugs, or disease), you'ee im a stipor. cording toa May 2001 Washington Post arth, “Dopi sehtings are mat wince an the baer of "he Dekasare shor enbater are period rowsed froth plan staporby eae sha tard pail tones onto thir Boss as eone ee on the ech rss tsard the sf and gins into the wares as dln pas by, fen sprig ls 0 shore, te ining ares of thir hae sible abe the as 2 knot A éavt of people is « (aot lege) group of people, somewhat ighily clustered togetir, a ino kno? of enfokor, Sounetimes the word caa sefeeto things (netead of ppoople, asin not of rex Spanking of Rchard Nisin to. hot of parr attra 1977 pts, Pet Jory Carer sad,“ personaly think tat Wed ale the a bat T ‘hn’ thik that be tinks bedi” » bewhiskered The meaning of quite few words starting with the prefix Se ean be figuicd out simply by Hooking past the prefix (her, look at whisked, Bevlivbered means “having whisker” of “beanled ” Likewise, if you'ee bepatare, you're wear ing spectucles (eyeglasses). Jn sal studies eas, nar evgone repel the photo of a Dewbisherd sara in esha nijora as Cuban lade Fda! Ca. * wizened To stzyn is to dey up oF shsivel (as with age); thus, if someone is sized, he (or at least hi face) i aeveled, wrinkled, and oaks old Likewise, wigeed fet x sheveled, old fruit, The word can also imply « shrinking in size, Note- The 6 ssllble is ponounced me (ant wir). In 1985 journal Hits Ber, spending ofa making ion abot fo dipartjrom Nantucket (i fest such since th 19th ent), sai, “The pant of the magnifica masa bas long een am intl at of Nana's aster at Cth the drtane and purpose of the spoosing enteral sighting—nowid re dowbt seor tune 0 the acon captteeand yoga 80 cored the ican’ famed (Itb-centery whl. ng he fr they heme whales faints te Atantc Osean as ery a V5." 12wiz ARD OF (OC ABULARY BUILDER doubtless much olde When these diminutive’ ceeatures drew near to whece Dorothy ‘was standing, they suddenly paused, as if afraid to come any closer. ‘Then, while the men timorously* held back, the woman embold- ened herself to walk up 10 Dorothy and say, “Welcome to the Land of the Munchkins. Thank you for killing the Wicked Witch of the * hoary If someone is described as fry (or in-haid or fanart means he has white or gray har asa result of being old. Sometimes the word means simply “el” asin en oss or bay how tae. Because respect often comes with age, the word ean also mean “old and respected,” asim zh vary hal of Harard Universi. fr ‘May 2000, jouratict Wiliam Booth reported thet "i Ii final wvonthe in the White Hl, ‘sing the pov reted in Ky the Aatiguites Act of 1908, Prdent Clinton [made series of procasains to onsre that Arsera's magpie! lana are peares 0 far, (a) as potted bry aot of lant ood ts, ison rls pes, fand) grand canyons in the panied dies” 2 gait Your girs your manner of style of walking —what your walking looks like. A ‘man with one leg shorter than the other, for example, would have a clumsy, aw ward gut In Jonnary 1995, spanking of etng buco Pape Jon Pant I and Caen pet ‘dent Peel Cait, the Washington Post ssi, “Pr a fit mets they mere ja od en, talking the aces and pains hat cme with ge: Cac waled nit aif sed ait and) the “pap relied ona cane ab dabrd dn the halls for hr private tall” diminutive Something diminutive is small oc snalish, below average in size, The -woidl sometimes implics that the snalless is exceptional or abuoemal. One) aggre si nen of misuse state are somes said 0 hare. a "Napain compe.” “ timorous (timorously) To desctbe someone as tinwrowsis to say that he's feaeul or timid. He licks self-confidence and isafmid to take action or assect himself. Ir 1985 Canadian noveit Roberton Dison sid “Th avnae paltan goer thrgh a sentence ‘ha aan exploring alae rane sft—bind,arping, trons, al iin danger of ‘ack i chs ama cubarinas lane ara may i sje.” Semboklen (emboldened) At the center of this worl isthe word fold ‘To vebokier yourself is to make yourself bold, to give yourself courage—enough couage to foveecome whatever timidity you might he feclig in a estan situation. Sv ebold ee rel to pla he ama for Ber part ens 13(OCABULAR’ East and for fteeing our people feom her heinous! hegemony?” Dorothy, an ingenuous? little girl who had never killed anything, in hee life, was taken aback. She wondered what the little woman could possibly mean. “I didn’t kill anyone,” Dorothy peorested. “There must be some mistake.” “Your house fell on het, and therefore, however unwittingly, you killed her just the same,” rejoined® the little woman. The Wicked Witch's two feet, sticking out from under the comer of the house, hheinows If something is fens (pronounced FAY nas, i's outrageously, atro Gnwsly bad of wicked, The word is often heard in the phrase “ines crimes,” ‘which refers to crimes (such 48 murder, rape, torture, ete) that are so horsible that just heating about them fil you with shock and hoeron. [x 1990 presi pe titer ayy Noonan inept the meaning of tensa wrt banded dow to ols iley (aout asarsn of Predent Ronald Reagan on 1981), follow: “If ou cmt Bg erime ‘ene ae eazy athe mare eons th cime be cae you ma be; tego, yar no poi and mohig i yo au.” hegemony Hageouy is total dominance ot coateol of one county (oe group, of pension) over others. You often see the wood ia the phrase “wodd hegemony,” ‘which meas “domination and contol of the whole would.” Note: In pronouucing the word, the accent ison the second syllable tv-CEM-o-1y) and the gs soft, asi gon Adal Elitr'rratny for mor genny an b food i ir bok Mein asap. ingenous Zngenieus people are unsophisticated, nalve, and innocent, and, when, dealing with others, are open and honest, sometimes with a childlike directness “They're fee of deceit and deception; they cant mask their feelings. (Sesame Streets Big Bind is an example of someone wha is ingen )W en ated ff war er bad lack ‘hat dtcaged ber frm playing oer, he ansveeh, "No, it: my ingemmanne.” “unwitting (unwittingly) Ifyou do something waiting), you do i without ree ing it, without knowing you'se doing it—you don’t do it on puspose. Iw November 1997 the Acaxiated Prest ported tht old ht cigar are jst at dangerous a rege na, in part ste srs etn ovr the ai les aed the filters that ae spate ts he thy cans agen.” © rejoin (rejoined) A ryder is (gencely contrictry and sharp) answer of conunersept (a epi to 4 cep). To rats to make (sap) «rejoinder Ld or 1 hatha a fli toon ad bing shan Maemo Ab fae i etl fore taboo lb pie, “Superman dn’ mad no tal,” to hich the fg atendne mad, “Saperman do nerd 0p, er” 14evinced! the veracity? of the little woman’s claim, The woman then told Dorothy that she herself was a witch! Sens- ing the gir’s sudden alarm, she quickly reassured her. “Not all witches are wicked,” she explained, “In the Land of Oz there were four witches. Two of them, the ones who live in the Nosth and the South are good. I should know this is tue because Tam the Witch of the North.” Elucidating® further, the Witch of the North continued, “There ‘were two wicked witches—the ones who lived in the East and West. But of course, now that the Witch of the Bast is patently! dead, + evince (evinced) To mince something isto show it clealy. Sometimes the thing being evinced isa person's deste, characte, Feeling, which had been pscviowsy hidden or unespressed. In that cate the showing takes the fom of some outward sign. His sudden rie evined lis satisfaction Other tives, the thing being evinced is evidence of something (vsually in onder to prove something). Daring te trial the ‘omuads on the vsti’ bac wore exiaed apron the aca had tbe plas veracity This word means “truth” (or “1auhfilness he's habitually teuthfil (hes honest though and through), and you ean always de ped on hin to speak the teh, If « statement has svat, ifs true (or ache). ‘You'll see this wonl used especially when a person’ (or statements) truthfulness ie Aoubtful o- ealed into question. On Christmas dy, 1980, the Washington Post (prt, “Altongh some rade may db th vor of ti per, eur riprtr arcane that ‘all ats hae veo the indent described Below. We las it tothe rater: ine minder ‘that wave part ofa ve anil exit atthe National Pagans of Peace were riprtl aig soon afer ark fart wight, but returned on tir early st mornin, aso 0a park pos spoermin.” ‘When a person has tera, lucidate(clucidating) "To elusive something (ysualy an explanation) ito make is meaning clearer When you sisi, you she light (rough furier explanation, elafieaon, ilustration, ete) on something that was previously not completely cleat ‘or understandable. Poiana! Cart Jang edad te snaps of ecrorsion and ire Son in abo ented Psychological Types 1921). «patent (patently) To refer to something, as paenis to say that ts obvious; thats, i's open to view and understandable by everyone. Oftea the word is used (instead of “obvious") when someone is drawing altention toa readily soon negative quaity (as in patent dat worooanalip, patent lof pripartion, pleat disnpec,etc). A Jah) 1992 trad pic in tho Washiagton Post uid, “One ofthe mort papudr cle durin tion us de “Gaterument shauld be nen fie a bins" What a patty abverd state It ginal do saying, ‘Arey sand be rem Eke ee care snes” or bball sow be played Bh gol” 15WIZARD O} (OC ABULARY BUILDER there remains only one wicked witch—the Witch of the West.” Just then, the Munchkins, who had been silently standing by, be- gan shouting and gesticulating!. ‘They were pointing toward the Corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying, ingly, her legs and feet began to disappear! The good Witch ex- plained, “This is a case of what we call spontaneous desiccation? ‘The Witch of the East was so old that, now that she is dead, the sun can quickly dry hee up!” All that remained was a pait of beautiful, gleaming, Silver Shoes that so belied? the wickedness of the Witch. The good Witch reached down and picked them up, then handed them to Dorothy “These Silver Shoes are yours to keep and to wear,” she said, benefi- cently waiving! the putative? claim she had on them herself gesticulate (gesticulating) When sou usoulie you make gestures (movements of the arms and hands) to emphasize what you're saying (or to express something ‘without speaking). Waving, pointing, signaling, and motioning are all forms of gor dation Tn March 1995 janvmait Tay Kovnbeer nated that “hasta! enue cone ‘iene sig, hgh ad ierperanmnts—voe iq, ith progenralld pi tir ands; le abr) roam the sd, showing and gsticuaig ald.” desiceate (esiceation) When something becomes duel it becomes com pletely dred up. The noun is deisaton The skin of «ina i primary a roestie sr ure, guaa tags ini ad desi belie (belied) Notice that the word Seis part of fle To bebe something is co show it to be false; to show that its « mistepecsentation o contradiction. Note: The word diymes with de and has the accent on the second sylable(bo-LIE). The pictr= que imple appesrans af Dats Iland (aol! Corban is off the sus of Sth Ar. fsa Pro Giana) bes pas as ne of ys rt bral prison carps “beneficent (beneficently) Notice the sinilasity of this word to beni If you'ee Denfiat, yo like to do good (give benefits), you're kindly in your ations or inte: tions. Ustully this wood is used to describe people who are in a position to do (great) good (such as kings or other people of power). In lair darkest hur, the slers yp man tha ane owe exis, et tat it a Beit etre in Dra afr 16(OCABULAR’ LDER “The Witch of the East was especially proud of the Silver Shoes,” one of the Munchkins chimed in, "because of their reputed? magical powers. But so far, no one has discovered what the Shoes’ powers ace of how they're used. Over the years, a few ideas have been bam- died about, but so fae no one has postulateds a credible* theory ‘waive (waving) To na cm or xght i to vlan give twp I. tbe en ie oy on tut abs anes i tab or based Bb oni ae 30 rit ola damage To vie a ile openly sto refinnTrom ining upon ln Onobr 1996 te 5. gr eine anon tego he Ute Ste fo Ga to « Romon Cat: Crh carly ed lcd of dor ict of Flare i putative To refer co something as peat 0 say tha is accepted as being true Dy everyone, even though it has never actually been proved. Lee Haney Omal is the ptt asin of Preden Job F. Kennedy reputed Sometimes something is thought to be true merely hecause people have spoken of it as tee, oz because i's rumored to be tre. It acquiees a “seputation”™ fborbeig true, It teuth is puted (wipposed, accepted without peocl) A set mater it pet inhabit te waters of Satan's Lach Nes, “andy (bandied) To land) a hall sto throw, strike, or pase it back and forth, To ‘dy words (insults oF compliments, for example) i to give and recive thems t0 tnide of exchange them, To bund ideas is to discuss them i a casual manes, Ir 1987, in bis row ofa now NBC TV’ seri, journalist Tom Sales sid, “Should cass angry be cable 0h dae? WH he wing ata the erica toni become mates? Quetons like that are banded baat and ten stoped inl submesion on Ore Plaet Tox ight, a infil senup of (CBS 60 Minutes." » postulate (postulated) To puss something (an idea, « hypothesis, a theory) is to sett forth as being tre (even though it might not be) so tha it can be used as a starting point for furher study oF expetimentation. Thy etens of th marina fa shee tami perc witb noma and no esti arg) war peat by Aurion tort Wal Pal in 1931 —a guarser cm hon one mar acaalh observed in he labora. * credible To refer to something (4 statement, explanation, ete) as si is to say that its behevable, To refer toa person as andl (asin ule nal) sto say that he’s believable ar tastworthy. Jn 1987 jamais P. D. Jame sid, In 1930s mysteries, all sot of ries wee eee ch aru’ eth today, expcaly mater of renting ely esta ert from conang at noma, people ell thar ily sesea sere." 7WIZARD O} (OC ABULARY BUILDER Ir’s.a conundrum! that may never be solved Docothy suddenly became aware that Aunt Em and Uncle Hensy ‘were probably beginning to worry about her by now, so she asked how she might get back to Kansas. Bue knowing the Land of Oz was surrounded on all sides by vast deserts, the good Witch segeerfully told her, “There is no way back to Kansas, so you will have to remain with the Munchkins forever.” Dorothy was erestfallen?, She wondered if this could be her comeuppance® for her inadvertent® act that had caused the Wicked Witch's demise’. Soon she began to cry because she felt lonely among such strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind- ‘conundrum A conmdane is technically «side whose answer is a pun (¢ play on swords) But the worl is more gencnilly used to mean “say diffcul-to-solve peob- Jem, or any problem that scems insolvable or paradoical” Hof ale fl ep ‘men without inflation a comune 2 erestfallem If you's cuffaltn you've greatly unhappy ot depressed (especialy if those felings are the eesul of some great disappointanent). The ade, expecting at A on is orm paper mas esl when e recived aC ntnws. Note: If you look eaeeflly at the smallce words that make up this compound word (rf meaning “the head, oF the top of something”), you'll wealize chat if you've cwestillen, you have (peshaps figurative) a deooping head (allen crest) comeuppance A aumaifunc isa deseeved punishment, especially an overdue (oe even Tong oveue) punishment. Saving that one eceived his comengpanvis the stme ‘ss saying that he received his just desserts, The iy tenager rind is enmarppusce vl be was psa ged from te movi eater “inadvertent If you do something snrdertnt} you da it unintentionally ot accien= tally. Many deplins have ben Bild icant by cama tama frac ang mt 5 demise ‘This word means “dexth (nsully of a person)” but it can also mean “the end of the existence, epertion, or activity of something,” asin fle doe of slot fis fx le seis of troy car In 1986, in spc made ajo ass aftr the die of ve 3 trans nr thy spain ofthe space cattle Challenges, Predont Ronald Reagan sid of he, “Thy had het cal gray, tht spa that sae Gane ma challnge and mest in” 18(OCABULAR’ hearted Munchkins, who became lachrymose! and began pulling out handkerchiefs It suddenly occurred to the Witch of the North that pethaps the great Wizard of Oz himself might help Dorothy find her way home. “The Land of Oz is ruled by a benevolent? bur redoubtable? po- tentate! known as the Great Wizasd, who lives in the Emerald City,” explained the good Witch. “Fis immense power is often touted as being more powerful that that of all the witches put together. Per- haps he might help you find a way back to Kansas.” Dorothy immediately seized upon this opportunity and asked how 1 fachrymose Sometimes this word is used as 4 synonym for sad or mani, but more specifically (becanse in the human body the lair clandr axe the glands that produce tear), it means “tearful” or “weepy.” A hig described as lacrynesr tends to cause tears, Note thatthe fest sllable (which receives the aecen}) is pronounced ok and thatthe last syllable aiyanes with doe 1/ man? wail after ee Sneed ber lc moe cnfsin tha the arpa raked ber careful apd maka war detroed benevolent If you're drei, you want 10 do good for people; you're kind, mane, aid generous Often (but aot always), you'll sce this word used to descabe Kage, queens, ar other powenful rulers, Ie thglt i aus rey obvi from ter mer ‘at Preis the Gat (of Pras) was borat mer and Petr tbe Cru of Spain) nas » redoubtable If someon is described as rivubtabl, it means he arouses Fear (oF read) oF inspizes ave (or wonder), especially if that awesomeness is worthy of te spect The word is often used to describe an opponent. Je the world of hs, there has ‘ner ben a opponent re redoababl than Bob Fase. * potentate ‘The wos putt means “powerful” of “mighty” A potent (pe0- nounced with the accent on the fist sllble) is « powerful or mighty perion. Often the worl refers to «ruler (4 king, for example), but it ean reer to any person of power, as in an indesial patente At the February 1945 Yalta Confer. mating of US. President Fronbn D Rosso, Britch Prime Miniter Window Chachi and Sate Prone Jou Stal to lan the fnal phe of Werld War I, th patetaes aged tree Germanys wnesndiiona urine * toue (touted) Ifyou Jv something, you speak about it Asttecingly (often publicly for energetically) 10 (r a if to) convince others ofits positive altabutes, Likewive, sf something is ved, i's favorably spoken of’ praised. Afr winning a eld meal in te 1984 Opps (at Lax nel, gytmast Mary Lat Reto besame the fe frae able 2 2 pictaca othe front of Bs of W heating tnd asthe “Breakfast of Champions” 19WH she might get to the Emerald City. The good Witch answered, “The Emerald City is located far off, in the exact center of the Land of Oz “The only way to get there is to hike along the road paved with yellow bricks.” Then the Witch of the Nosth kissed Dorothy on the fore- head, leaving a shiny, round mack. “This kiss,” the good Witch ex- plained, “will forestall! any injuries and protect you fom haem during your travels.” forestall ‘To foetal! something is ta prevent it fiom happening by taking some [Kind of prceautionay action ahead of time. After the Waregut air, Richard Nason frstale posh rset by xing Prost Gerald Fon’ pardon 20Chapter 3 “The Scarecrow” Dorothy went back inside her house to prepare for the long jour- ney. But suddenly feeling hungry and thirsty, she took Toto outside with her to a little brook that flowed behind the house. ‘There she filled pail with cool, clear water. While drinking it she sported some savory!looking fruit, hanging like so many colored pendants? from nearby branch. As ambrosial® as the fruit tasted, she judiciously* ate only until she was pleasantly sated. With such a long walk facing het, she knew that she had to avoid the uncomfortable, sick fecling a savory Anything thet tastes (or smells) pood can be deserbed as sa10p; ‘The more delicious, mouth-watering, or Navorful is, the more sao itis. She made fer kd sop een mae sary by agai of oman pendant (pendants) A pera! is something that hangs (Gom something) oF ix suspended from something—especallya charm (or any piece of jewel) suspended fon a chain (accklace). The adjective pondulous means “oosely hanging of sus pes,” ax in ends flea th In bis March 1956 arte ented “If You Rib Hud, ‘Hell Take 1,” oral Rabort Fach said, “Major age (useball players are korn svar sandy old cher and flaky pendants derteg oars, Dut} louton toe rele John "Taek at token that custo 0 anew bel lade, sro Bad a ib removed at oar all ater ict i ie pti aon, as fstionel a mac oat ofthe dette bon: the ib abu tae nls low, bang an chan” » ambrosia (ambrosial) In Greck and Roman mythology, wae isthe food of the gods. In addition to being extes fassitude This wor! describes « condition of unplessant weatiness (of body or mind) or » condition of Inzy indifference, especially when these conditions. are Tbeought on by fatigue, less, or depression, Hall mtd te gorillas deatde ad ged ha swith ages tau be tae “desolate place descsbed as dali i uninhabited, deserted, lonely, stark, bar sen. Wr all wondod what Neil lrntong as thnkng ron he fist et fot on the n't boat suse Purgatory According to Roman Catholics, after « good) person dis, but before he goes to heaven, his soul iim pergatan-—a temporary place where the soul makes amends for stl-unpunished minor sins But in general usage, the woud means “any place or condition of temporary punishment or suffedig” We amined a the apart sailed, then vere frced 9 salle ly purgatory of cons inpetion! * desultory (desultorily) When you proceed (move, ac, oF talk) in a duton’ way, you don’t follow a constant, consistent, methodical cousse—you jump about, from here to there De mer bar cosestins as dsr a he that tae place Idee chat ‘om, When you do something in a desury way, you don’t give it your fall attention fr effor—pom do it ia fits and starts. He mind. fr dary atups to find a ob at ling pono ok intesloper An intripr is person (aeually an outside) who thevstshisself into ther peoples afftirs without mvitation (sometimes for selfish seasons). The criminal ‘ow abet to and bit mvapan tothe po: but suddenly changed It nd when an integer sera atthe op of his rg, “Soot hind He's gota gon” 29spondent’, benighted® sack of straw turned jovial wayfarer— started along the yellow brick road for the promise of the Emerald City ionize (Wionized) To Joni someone is to teat him (or Took upom him) a lebety. When a 1919 solar eckice confirmed bis lighdeflction tary, sieatst Alert Einsteins nas Bonized by the press > despondent When you're dependent (about something), you feel depressed, gloomy, dispiited, or discouraged, especially when these feclings ate accompanied by afeeling of hopelessness. Lyndon Jobnsan, dspondent over the no-vin Vittnam siuaton, announced that he wd wot ek or acpi. wcand term as President ® benighted When i's night, ts dack. If. person is benilted, he’s Figurativey in the dark (or kept in the dark; in other words, he’s unenlightened, uneducated, ignorant “Wie it cones tothe cmret dating sone, my parents ar as Denighted as a couple of Neder thai," se sooplanad. | jovial If you're jovial, you're merry snd jolly and have s hearty good humor. The sown is jovsaliy. AY the beginning of bis af the department rare Santa fl appropriately ia, buy th tie the lst hide aff bsp be was ready fo sea 5 wayfarer A noire is a person who travels, especially on foot. You're apt (© see this word (or mayfam) pop up in titles of songs or poems more often than you'll hhear people actually use iin conversation, Fm the 13th tothe 190 cont, a religious suet devoted tothe gods Kati and down as the Thugs wandered India robbing and Aili swayfaresChapter 4 “The Tin Woodman” Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and Toto walked for a long while, past the suburbs and exurbst, to the hinterlands? of Oz. Here, the yel- low brick road became rough and ieregular, with increasingly widen- ing gaps between the bricks, Dorothy and Toto easily jumped over these interstices’, but, with crack-jumping apparently beyond the purview! of his understanding, the Scarecrow continued walking as though the coad were still smooth and regular. Over and over he fell flat on his face and Dorothy repeatedly had to straighten him up. Being made of straw, these falls never huet the Scarecrow, who smiled blithely$ at exch mishap, exurb (exurbs) Subucbs, as you know, are a city’s outlying residential areas. Bs: urbs sce small communities lying beyond the suburbs of a city. Wit the ewsption of acter Kies sonneting aajior cities with tein suburb and exer, al eity-tocity pasener nal service today i sped by Anna. 2 hinterlands The hinderandsof « egiom ate its undeveloped or less developed areas; its backeountey, backwoods, ete. In le 18th contr, grain and frat flaved from the hiner Land, down the Hardon and Dokaave rivers, to Now Yorke an Plelaepia > interstices Narrow spaces or gaps that oceur between things of pasts of « thing (especially when these spaces look slike and occur at regular intervals) are known as “interstie, Jonny van bis tck only along elated foncer—never solid ones—becsuse be loved He “taal” sod generated by the interstices ‘ purview This word means “range” or “scope” in rwo senses. IF you're discussing & person, his purtio is his range of understanding, insight, ot vision. T ander mhy she ‘asked me to Delp ber with br caus bamework whon the knows tery well that ero alebna ie eon the paren of my mathematical conprebension. Uf you'ee discussing a thing, its ur tier is its range of authority, control, or power. The Cents for Disease Control and Prenton gpertes ander the pure ofthe Department of Heath and Human Sens © blithe (blithely) This word can mean “‘metsy” (or “chee” “bappy"), and it ean mean ‘lightheartedly carefree” (or “onconcemed,” “indiffereat”), But it especially ‘means “merry” and “carefree” (at the same time). Note: In pronunciation, the # sounel like the jin bind, the th ean be pronouuced either ss in then or thin, and the ¢ fis silent I asa dy to sold ber for bing Lats, ut ber bth spirit sneha made ne fret all abot doing that.Around noon, Dorothy was famished!, so she stopped to eat by a placid? pond. She noticed a pretty little promontory? jutting out into the water but was too ravenous* to bother walking out on it. She offered some bread from her basket to the Scarecrow, but he declined, His show of asceticism’ seemed unreasonable to her, so she gave him a questioning look, “I never get hungry,” he told her, “because I have no stomach; only straw.” Then he said that he was lucky he never became hungry. If he were to eat, he explained, he would swallow the straw where his mouth was, distorting the shape of his head. Disfigurement added to ignorance would be a burden too onerous® to bear. Dorothy ruminated! on this awhile; then, real- Famished If you're jamiste, you're very hungry, starving. We se famited afer ur allnght sy session, s0 9 topped for brat an the say to te final exam 2 placid This word means “calm” A placid person isn't easily disturbed. He has aa even temperament and a tranquil expression, Plaid water is regular, smooth, quiet, and undistusbed. Compared fo th trbulnt sixties, the fies seem rather plaid > promontory A promontory is « piece of high lund (or rock) that juts out from the const into a body of water, The Rack of Gibnaliar isa well-known promoniary exending fom southest Spain int the Mediterranean Sea 4 ravenous To be nivenon is to he ve be star (often uncontrollably) hungey, ing. Note: The word can also mean “greedy,” as in rasesaus for pow: The Colson (eke large outdoor theater of ancient Ronse) sas the ste of combat between gladiators and bates Dereon men and ravens ns S ascetic (asceticism) As 4 noun, an asticisa person who lives a simple life, pric cpline and self-denial, and, in so doing, denies himself nommal pleasures (such as material comforts and eating for enjoyment). As an adjective, the word describes that way of life. Asticsar is the practice of that way of life. The son of a mealtiy merchant, Saint Francis of Assis at the age of 22 rected is iertancy an began ning ‘an ace if tices sll onerous Any burden, task, responsibility, or situation described as sneer is oublesome and bunlensome. When you'se dealing with something orerous you Feel like you have a heavy Joa (Aiguratively or literal) that can test your strength. He amanda atelor bose th eros tak of snpparting a family frightened birizing that what the Scarecrow said was true, nodded and continued her repast? in silence. inally satiated’, Dorothy handed the basket to the Scarecrow and said, “Let's go.” As they walked along the road, the Scarecrow tried to think of something interesting to say to show the git! that he was not quite as empty-headed as she might suppose. Then it steuck him—some witty repartee! would be just the thing! But when he tried to think of something clever to say, nothing came to him except an inchoates jumble of trite® clichés!. Oh, how he cursed himself for being such a ruminate (ruminated) When you rminate about something you think about i, ‘umning it over and over in your mind, you chew it over, so to speak, as cow chews its cud. Note: “To chew the cv” is the literal meaning of the wort. I didn't sent to ‘adit that Las yng te coc ding wating 10 said tha although lobed tha may Twas ‘actualy meminatng on the papose of he universe ® repast This is another word for meal (a single session of eating) o* for the food ceten at a meal. We ate a late bree, so at anche me bad fight rept of too Kinds of ln » satiate (eatiated) When you'se saat with something you have an appetite oF desire for (food, for example), you're Full to the point of being totally satistied, The ‘word may imply (but not necessash) that you're ovedy full (of whatever you've taken in). Leith Baby belived that ro amount of cartoon watching contd be Sno mol it after _fve bors bs nas satiated. “ repartee Conversation full of quick, witty replies is called rpurte (pronounced 80 that the last syllable is accented and shymes with either diy bee). Ln the date 1960, singing comedy tare the Smochrs Brothers often began ther meekly TV rarey slow with some ler rpartes that was actualy ten by coed nriter (and fre comedian aed fl star) Store Martin. © inchoate If something is in an eadly or developing stage, it cam be referred to as inchoue (pronounced in KOH#}, Or if something is disorganized, jumbled, or lack- ing onder, it can he refersed to as incluaf, But if something is both at an exdy stage ‘and lacks organization, then it's especially referred to as inchaate. I's amazing io think ‘has our solar ger san as mong wore than an inchoate mas of soiking gas and dst, trite If something (4 wort, expression, of iden in speech o wating) is fit Lacks Freshness and effectiveness because it has been used or repeated too often. In ber vie of he 2001 fib Pavilion of Women, a oe-clal mance set in 1938 China, etic ita Kempley said “as bland asa forte cooie and as teas the message nse” 33dolt?] Now he felt it incumbent upon himself to relieve the con straint! quickly descending upon him, and his straw mind com- pelled® him to break the silence. In a desperate, jejume’ attempt at | cliché (clichés) A stciv'is-« phrase or sentence that, because of long overuse, has lost sts impact or freshness, He fad an emcunny talent ar freshening up old cliches by clghty allen ome ofthe word asin “ere cer’ a whip Ginstoad of “wil she’s a may"! 2 dolt A dots a dull, stupid person. Duriag the 2000 presidental campaign, the TV shaw Satay Night Live pormnged Replica nominee George W. Bush as a dot wl coubin't _prosaunce the nares of fnign leaders. incumbent If you say that task or duly is fatmbynt on (or upon) you, you men that you have an obligation to perform that task or duty. I’ énaumbot om all parents to prove for thir cléliren. Another meaning of this word scfers to political office. A ‘person who already holds a particular politcal office i referred to as the inovmbent Though, ina presidential election, te incumbent offen wins a scond er, Bill Clinton's deat of Goarge H. Bush in 1992 shoved that shai’ ay he case + constraint IF you're with «n other penion and neither of you is saying oF doing anything, you may begin to fecl uncomfortable, embarcissed, or awkward. ‘That feeling is called constraint. Fora abile my new ronumate and I stared at ead ober a ioard: ‘then, when we began to argne over bo ets the tp bn, all comtnint vanished. Another, ‘more common, meaning of the word is “confinement” of “restriction,” as in fle constraint ofthe monastery S compel (compelled) If you're sanpulid to do something, you're forced to do it “The implication is thatthe thing doing the forcing is either some kind of authority {who has the power to compel) oF some overpowering force ar controllable ance tuge (uch as your conscience) The noun is conmpadion jer sing te TV’ documenting ont rippled cde, Flank fel compelled o mare a donation © jejune This woud (pronounced j2JUNE) can mean “dul” (aot interesting, plain, uninspired), as in a jg vorh or it can mean “childish” (immature, amateussh, uninformed, inexperienced), a in june attempt create a business plan, or it can mean cone (“dull” or “childish”) with the added imphiestion of the other, Whew Sheddor cashed bis iirond why she was breaking np with big, se amowered, “Becanse of all the scp, iin actives you sugges staring a your at fare!” 44high wit, he blurted out the banal! declaration, “Nice weather we're having” When she just looked at him curiously, he said, “I'm sorry.” “What fo?” “For being so stupid and such dull company,” he answered de- jectedly?, convinced he was nothing but a pathetic ciphers “My heavens! You shouldn't put yourself down like that.” Then she continued kindly, “Pm enjoying walking with you. I’m enjoying every minute of i.” ‘The Scarecrow felt his self-consciousness slowly melt into a kind of euphorias. Did she really like him? Now they walked in silence until they reached the point where the litle, blue fences ended. Here they found the surrounding land rough and unplowed. Toward evening, they came to a spot on the yellow brick road banal If something is iumal, it lacks freshness or is uninspited, i's ordinary of commonplace and therefore dull and uninteresting, ‘The preferred pronunciation of this word has the accent on the second syllable (ehyming with cana), bur it ean also he placed om the first (chyming with axa), The nov is hanabiy accent on the sec fond syllable). 17 bas ben said thar pop art—as exenplifid by its mos farms image, Andy Wart Campbells Soup Can—celbrtes the bmad 2 dejected (dejectedly) If you'se dyiced, you're in low spists; you'te downcast; you'e depressed. Usually this word is used (mstead of deprsed) if these feelings are sudden but temporary, ‘The noun is dation, Hix teavnitr cule’ decide whether the quar’ dejesion was cased by ter ng the game ary bis iifriond’s absence, ipher Technically, a jphris a zer0 (the mathematical symbol or quantiy). But if you desenbe something as a cpler, you mean it’s unimportant or it has no valve. If you desenbe a person as a gpber, you mean he’s a nobody, « nothing: She had alnuys spaced ber son wus «cipher tes, whee he attained the ace of Vice Preside of the United Sate, be wonders if lar suspicion war negated or confirmed! Note: Another meaning of this woed is “code" (a set of symbols for transmitting secret messages) ‘euphoria .\ fecling or sate of extreme happiness or well-being is known as explo ria, This feeling can be induced by events in your life or by drugs. The adjective is ceupharis. Store actualy ene going tothe demas because ofthe exphor: feing te denghing gas vs binwhere the trees that straddled! it were so large thar their branches intertwined above, occluding? most of what remained of the wan- ing? sunlight, Undaunted, they continued into the forbi woods, until, after about an hour, they found themselves enveloped by a foreboding® darkness. straddle (straddled) If you stuué something, you're on both sides of it at the same time. For example, if you straddle «line of the ground, you have one leg on cach side of it, Ifyou steaddle an issue (a controversy), you seem to favor both sides atthe same time. If thing (not a person) steaddles something, i's on both sides of it and it extends over or across it. Not many people are anure that mith same sery ear Diy, instead of pean, you pasted your fot along the ground wile trading the obi! © occlude (occluding) When something is oxiudtd, is partially of completely blocked, obstructed, or closed. ‘The trou is olan, Heart attack or strobe ogy revit fom elusion of mayor ate wane (waning) When something light, enthusiasm, oF popularity, for example) ‘nancy, it gradually becomes less (a intensity, power, importance, size, degree, ete), Alert Watergate afi, public confident the Preridoncy waned undaunted If something (a task, esponsibility, etc) is davnting i's difficult, sexe. for overwhelming to the point that you become discouraged about it; you Want to give up. But if you're wndavntal (not daunted), you're of dixconraged; you proceed in spite of difficulties. In September 2001 journalist Sehastian Mala, speaking of a 20-paund ban that exploded (V984) inthe Grand Forel (Brighton, England), where mrt ofthe Brith cabinet was ladgid, sid, “Ut bow out the windows in the Napoleon suite, whore Margaret “Thatcher war staying, and the aroor sat he bad ben én ust two nate earker wa del ‘ted; but the Prime Minister as wndaunted—less than an hour later, she appeared bafare the ‘ukeiion cameras inher carvags.” ® forbidding We all know what the verb forbid means, as in I jor you t» dave the ‘ows, But the adjective forbidding s used 19 descebe something that appears threat cing, scary, disagreesbic, menacing, dangerous, hostile, ete. Most often, the word is used to describe landscapes, buildings, or the weather, J a sssag from Apollo 8 ix 1968, astronaut Frank Barman desribed the moon as “a ras, lonely, forbidding expanse of olling,” «foreboding To describe something as foreboding is 10 say that it possesses a quality that eauses you to feel as if something bad or unfortunate is about to happen. A synonym is ominows, As a moun, a forshoding is that Feeling (last something bad is go- ing to happen). Gerke navel: (ih lbmrsbed in England from te late 18th tthe sary 19th contr) wsnally novel characters, nsbantrens cae, amd a sense of foreboding. 36Luckily, dogs and scarecrows can see well in erepuseular! light, so Dorothy took hold of the Scarecrow’s arm, and they managed to proceed at a reasonable pace. She instructed the Scarecrow to watch for a place to sleep, and he soon spotted an empty cottage made of logs and branches. He led the child through the trees and into the cottage, where she found a soft bed of deied leaves. With Toto beside her, she soon fell fast asleep. The Scarecrow, who was unaffected by the circadian? thythms of humans, stood all night in the corner of the room with nothing to do but listen to the soft, susurrant? sounds of the ambi- ent! wind. ‘The next morning, the sun was shining brightly, Dorothy, feeling hungry and grimy, led the Scarecrow to a small brook, where she crepuscular This adjective refers to that time of day when the sin is going lowa—when it's twilight or dusk. By extension, the word can also mean “dim” or “indistinct.” If you refer to. animals (bats oe ows, for example) as empscnlir, you ‘mean that they become active in the twilight. The meadow’s cpusnlar charm war sud eal bigened by the flashing Hight of thonsands of fre ‘circadian ‘The wond sin means “shout,” and a day is x 24+hour period. Knowing that, it's easy to remember that the word sinudian ofers to a 24-hour cycle, Specfi- cally, cradienrhytveeefers to yous eyele of ativity—ineluding both your daily Fune- tioning (eating, sleeping, etc) and your body's chemistry (chauges in blood pressure, ‘urine production, tc)}——that lasts for andl recurs approximately every 24 hours. Tle natura circadian rye of he astronauts sere reantant by eping tle Anwricans om Hous ton time aed the Rassias on Moscow tine 9 susurrant To deseahe a sound as urement is to say that it's comtinuows and indi: tinct; t's soflly whispering, musuring, Even wher i's mot vy bot I ke fo goto bed vith ‘he air conditioner on Besos ssarmant rund el me tose 4 ambient Tf something (sound, aie, etc) is ambion, it completely sussounds of encompasses (something), In 1994, 21 fragments of a cones tore through Japiter’s ambient cludt and bombarded its carfce. As a noun, ambiene is the overall quality, character, mood, or almosphere of romething People especiily use the word to zeler to the overall atmosphere of a restaurant. O a ssle of ne t0 Zn, 1 gine the mew restart a rine Jor fod, an gt for ambone, and the forse. 7washed. Then, casting the ablution! in all directions with a few care~ less flicks of her wrists, she took some bread from her basket. While she ate, the Scarecrow opined? that being human must be a great deal of trouble, what with all the concomitant? hunger, thirst, and fatigue. But then he speculated that having a brain would make all that discomfort worth a lot of bother, Dorothy considered this awhile, but just as she was about to respond, she was startled to hear a deep, plaintivet groan “What was that?” Dorothy asked, looking a litle afraid “I can't imagine. But let’s go see,” replied the Scarecrow. Just then, coming from the same place as the previous sound, they ablution ‘This word can mean “the washing of the hands of body,” or it can refer to the liquid itself that's used in the washing, Often (but not always) the word is used when the washing is part of some religious drual. A macgu (a pla of pubic wor ‘ship inthe Muss seigion) must point toward Mec (Mabammed’s bariplae) and havea plae or ritual ablations > opine (opined) Notice how similar this verb isco the noun gpvinn, To opines to sate (or have) an opinion (about something). Tieir materia is of hat, eit opied— ut (d-200D cmtury American comedy tere) Abbott and Cortell's expert delivery made the lds joke ecm fh, » concomitant When something exists with or occurs ith something else (espe cially in a lesser way or as the result of the other), i's referred 10 as concomitant (meaning “concurrent and accompanying”) The Znwyer daw from th ose thas using ‘is hourk foe might real in a consanitant dense in demand for bis series. Av a noun the ‘word moms “something that accompanies (goes slong with, results from) some- thing else.” One of the conawitants of cio ir sort pant 4 plaintive If « sound is plaice it expresses somow its moumful, sad (as ia the plaintive oy af a trgped, hungry animal). Note: Doa’t confuse this adjective with the noun plu, which means “s person who institutes a lawsuit” Also note: The noun plain’ means “complaint.” Iv 1999 journalist Waren Brows said, “Winter orange {in Washivgton, D.C) are arban gopones played in the dark There sth distant rambling of garage tacks, the plantve wailing of a car alarm, the arash of wind betwen tll built, ‘ah 0 the arf Beer te sguoang, rating wound ofa automatic garage dor going np.” 38heard a desperate, keening! wail, The celerity? of their response sur- prised Toto, who followed apace? as Dorothy and the Scarecrow raced through the woods toward the person or thing from which these hideous sounds emanated# ‘Through the trees, a brilliant glint of light sharply struck Doro- thy’s eye, and she saw that it was reflected from a piece of shiny tin! Toto barked wildly, as if disturbed by the anomaly$ of shiny metal in a pristine® forest. As Dorothy and the Scarecrow moved closer, they were amazed to see a man made entirely of tin standing perfectly still, like a statuel kkeening .\ fre is « loud, wailing expression of grief (often lke « chant) for the dead. To feev is to make these loud wails. A sound descabed as Aeening resembles the sound of a keen. Isnaise mp.om wines, but Fa mare than it dingy fo ear that ‘is prescho! teachers had nicknamed ly “the haening bans.” celerity To do something with slhty is to do it swiftly or quickly, Wen I assert ‘ioe th onthe be had to spend in jai would pas with ele, be ada? appear expcialy come ort 4 apace To do something (psoceed, continue, move, ete) gpa is to da it swiflly, rapidly, speedily, ete, oF to do it at a necessary or required speed (to keep wp with the momentum of a particular thing), Iv a March 1997 atl ented “New Cty Law Virwally Bans Sipoking Exen in Bars, but Many Ave Stilt Lighting Up.” the Washington ost siprted shat "Teron joined the big gues of the anti-smoking rovvment with one of [North Ameria’ strictest tobacco jaws, ut) if in Toronto's night drt continued apace with ate night, loud ous, anda showy ascamoating haze.” "emanate (emanated) If something eotansts (Foom a souree) it low out (from is itcomes from it. An e”tanaton (noun) is «thing that Hows out (From a source). Tle 19.22 Nobel Prie jor piss met to Niels Bofors investigation of the structure of atoms and ‘the radiations that emanate fos hea © anomaly An anomaly is something that's out of place, sn exception or deviation from a general rule. Any sbnomality,iregulaniy, ot peculiarity (a bith defect, for example) can be seen as an anomaly. In an era wl Rapuboans dominated the Presiden. Jomngy Carter's Democrats ricory én (976 wa. Bistral anomah © pristine When something is prising i's in its original, natueal state it has it orig taal purity; it hasn't become dirty or corrupted by civilization. Ted Rossel mas a Passionate conserationit, and by the ond of bis eainisration, pristine frst rere foaled ‘marly 200 silion aces,“Did you groan?” asked Dorothy. “I did.” answered the Tin Woodman. “I’ve been standing here groaning like this for over a year, but until now, no one has come to help me.” Dorothy and the Scarecrow were moved by the melancholy! tone of the Tin Woodman’s voice, so they wanted to help him in any way they could. “How can we help you?” asked Dorothy. Now, oil was an anodyne? that never failed to allay? the Woodman’s discomfort. He asked Dorothy, “Can you please pick up the oilean on the ground and oil my joints, starting with my neck?” Dorothy applied the balm* at once, and as the neck joint was badly sted, the Scarecrow gently moved the tin head ftom side to side until the Tin Woodman could do this on his own. melancholy As an adjective, this wont means “sd” or “depressed.” Its often used (instead of "sad”) to imply that the sadness might be habitual (os of someone's nature) or prolonged, or to imply that serious thought accompanies the sadness. As noun, the word means “a state of sadness ox depression.” Aer iearing Han Wit ‘ame sing “Sning Law, Suet Charo,” ne argued abo! which was oorercanci}—the song or bis oi!” > anodyne An anaiyn is anything (Sometimes a medicine) that relieves oF lessens pain, The word has more of a literary than a medical connotation. (Ia medicine « sword like anakcie ot anthesis usually used), Our aerobicr instr cosd that se tonto hoary meal osc at fll volume aan anodyne fr depecion » allay This word has two meanings, both having to do with relieving oF lessening Gomething). If you allay pain (oF some other medical condition), you lessen it oF relieve it (at Teast for a short time). Dr since clas me darned that cordate eucuipon tres are ald ‘fer trees” buause tvs aes and bark are actually med to allay fine. UE you ally 2 ‘unpleasant emotion (fear, suspicion, ansicty, concem, anger, depression, donb, tc), you calm it or put it to sest. To aly the dante of the general pubs, the Prudent nbunsred to be theft ore a swine fa hot ‘balm Techaically a al isan ily, feagrant substance that comes from a plant and hss some medicinal valve. Bot any acomatic of soothing cintment ean be called Balm Iso, anything that soothes, heals, o comforts (even if t's not a ointment) can bbe allel Bin. After the etre dirarce proces finaly ended, be fold xs it wasn't bs nape ut the bale of on friendship that stand bit rvongh the toughest nas, Note: Uf some- thing (weather, for example) is Fala, it's mild, gentle, ox soothing. 40fest Dorothy oiled the arms and legs, which the Tin Woodman, sighing with relief, slowly bent and unbent. The salutary! effect of the efficacious? treatment was immediately apparent as the Woodman, now in much higher spirits, repeatedly thanked Dorothy and the Scarecrow, who were touched by his politeness and gratitude. “How did you happen to be here2” asked the Tin Woodman. Dorothy explained all about how she and the Scarecrow were on their way to see the Great Oz to ask him to send her back to Kansas and to give him some brains. ‘The Tin Woodman seemed to cogi- tate? deeply for a while, then said suddenly, “Because I'm made of tin, T have no heart. But I want one ever so badly. Do you suppose (Oz could give me one?” “T don’t see why not,” answered Dorothy. “It would be just as easy as to give the Scarecrow brains.” “That's teue,” said the Tin Woodman. “If y you on your trip to the Emerald City.” w'l allow me, FL join salutary If something (osally some product or activity) i salutary, it promotes hhoalth o¢ well-being (of body or mind); it's healthful; it’s good for you. But note that if you'ee talking about a climate or air as being healthful, is more common to use the word ‘aledrions) Jn th lle 1950s, many parents bulied that litsning lo rockand- roll a tare to teagers ad that Utening to “Sod” asic—Beethove, for essrepl—wowll cata ba salary ine 2 efficacious This worl is similar to effvtie in that they hoth mean “able to produce desired result.” But while «fctie means “having the ability to produce a result ‘whether or not that abity i actually used," as in agin 11 am effective remedy for pan, the word ¢ficasinas is often used when the ability has been used and the desired of oct attained, as ine aspirin mas ficaios in lvering te pation’ temperature. Day farm ert mt fad the rst oflcious and ecmanical fed for tir cows > cogitate When you cyte about (or on) something, you think about it carefull oF intently; ou tum i over in your mind, ‘The nown is ciation. s np fieyear-ol day ‘ar tard inset at the dead ladybug, T assumed she was dep in ciation er the meaning of ‘fet, I found wt ae, sb as merely counting te spots on its bach! 4Dorothy and the Scarecrow heartily welcomed the amiable! Tin Woodman to join them on their pilgrimage?. As the Tin Woodman shouldered his axe, a prescient Dorothy took a quick look at the lean and prudentlys placed the panacea in her basket. Then they all walked merrily through the woods until they were back on the yellow brick road headed for Oz. amiable If you're either friendly (social, gracious, warm) or pleasant (agreeable, good-natured, sweet-tempered) you're amiable. In 1998 jounabit Lloyd Gro said of Sonny Bona, “lea telson entertainer in the early 1970s, (ey pected the pertona of an a able lose; alongside the tall and stunning Cher, who relly sipped hia with purdowns, be looked ikea grinning xiomplton with moase-brw hair.” > pilgrimage piling ie long joumey oF quest, especially one undertaken for some important purpose (originally, o show devotion, as in 4 primes to Masa, oF & pilrinage to the Wailing Wal), The mast menanate part af ney New Vark State vacation was ‘ur pilrimage to he Baal] lll of Fame in Cogperiow 2 prescient If you're prescient you have foresight; you have knowledge of things before they happen. The word can refer to ether a supemanueal foreknowing (asim fortunes i fry tle are prosont about fates ert) to 8 natural Foresight (asin 3 ‘od finan ads is present aboet ening sock martes send). "Tae noun ia prescens Pees Verne’ present 1Dtlscentury scene ftion motels amtipated many aspect af 2attcentry elmo 4 prudent (prudently) To describe someone as prdi i to say that he's careful and cautious about his conduct. The noun is prudence. With wo cae in sight, or bet afnse against the AIDS. virws is prudence, in another sense, someone who's prudent shows good judgment or forethought (in protecting against farure problems). Fret ‘areratcin, sini, and philerapher Blaise Paxcal belersd it was prudent to bu in God's existence hoe Bite ca be lst of te is mo Gd, and eermal happiness cam he ane if thre is » panacea If you refer to something as a fwnass (pronounced fn uh-SEE- Wl), you smeaa that it’s a cure-all, a universal emedy (for ether medical peoblems o¢ societal problems), But siace there's no such thing as « cure-all, people also use this word (in a negative way) to describe something that pretends ox elaims to be a cure-all but really isn't, In May 1983 former ldslo senator Frank Chursh (3924-1988) suid, “The United Nations ia rpton of he workd ast i: (i) i wo pana for the world’s problems, but meses institutionIf not for their serendipitous! encounter with the Tin Woodman, the travelers would have soon been at a standstill, for they were now standing at a place where a thick overgrowth of trees and long branches made the road impassable. But the Tin Woodman tirelessly worked his axe, truncating? limb after limb, until a passage was fi nally cleared -As they walked along again, the Scarectow and the Tin Woodman, espousing? opposite points of view, debated the relative importance of brains and hearts. Meanwhile, Dorothy, noticing that there was enough bread left in her basket for only one more meal, and ans- iously envisioning abstemious! days ahead, pragmatically’ pro- | serendipitous ‘To refer to something (« fortunate discovery or encounter, for example) as serondpitns isto say that it occuered both by luck and by accident. The shown is rerendipity (he lucky, accidental making of a fortunate discovery or encoun tee). Wid searching fora metnard rue tdi, Coles serendipity dssorered America! > truneate ({runcating) When you mute something, you shozten it by eutting off 4 part oF it. You ean franca both physical objects (tee branches, countries, ete) and non-physical objeets (speeches, conversations, ete) The nown is umation. Tie nord “tasa" ta wel-ertablisted tration of asia > expouse (espousing) One meaning of this word is “to marry (4 person)” But usualy, when people use this word they’ze referring to the “marrying” of a person o-an idea; that i, the taking of an idea (or principle) and embracing it as one’s own, taking it 10 heart Im the carly 1950s, raany publi fgnes who were suspected of espousing com anise —or any eit cas—were rained by blaceiting 4 abstemious If you're abitowiou, you're retrained in eating and drinking (of alco- hhol); you eat and dank sparingly ox moderately. When she sex the painting of he fat one she exclaimed, “I thug lose gs mere suppose fo be absteons!” © pragmatic (pragmatically) If you're pragmats, vou approach things from a prac- tical, relistic poiat of view (as opposed to an emotional, idealistic, or visionagy point of view). Ir Febmmary 2000, jarealst Teresa Wilt, speaking of a chloe that con ont lothng designers, sa, “I's abegys there the tension bower th pragmatic andthe artist even the Baton fn of etal and the (bowamess) ofthe nena, between clothing as shelter amd clotng as expreson.” 4Bpounded! the theory that ac: tant of alll 88 to food was pethaps most impor- \ propound (propounded) When you prpoend an idea (ox comeept, theo, ete), you put it forward for consideration (in speech or writing). There # sometimes (but not alway) the aplication that the person putting forth the idea accepts i s tue Wade nary everyone pce Shakespeare fr siting bilan play many rts hi frig ‘propa ay particle plopChapter 5 “The Cowardly Lion” Walking with her companions through thickening, darkening, woods, Dorothy hegan to feel a gnawing disquietude! in her gut She had a vague premonition? of danger, but she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because in this paet of the woods the bieds no longer chisped. Or pethaps it was because hese all the yellow bricks that made up the road were covered by dried branches and le e necvously clutched the Scareceow’s sleeve. In his mind he extrapo- lated? that the darkening sky was merely a preeursor* to total dark- rness, but he didn't announce this for he knew it would probably frighten the girl. “How much longer until we're out of the forest?” asked Dorothy in a tremulous’ little voice. | disquietude If you think of the word gue as meaning “restful peace,” hen di quiets “slack of rest peace.” So, if yom experience disguitede (a state or condition ff dvgnt), you Tose your peace of mind; you feel anxious, concemted, worried, of uneasy (Fou've been disguited). When the message on the airport's “Arising Flights” day sunt changed fons "on time” to “tobe anounced,” an overs beling deta hat though im > premonition IF you have « premnition about something, you have « (usually un- easy, ansious) feeling that something (usually bad) is about to happen. I 1963, ix spite ofa premonition expressed by Adlai Stevenson, President Kenna fl to Dalles (hee be thar atvatinated) » extrapolate (extrapolated) ‘To extpolife is to use information that you already know to make estimates or educated guesses about what you don’t know, We dies ‘hat the square mot of 16 48-4 and thatthe square rot of 25 ix 5; by extapolation me estimated ‘the square root af 200 be at 4,5. 4 precursor Although this word sometimes meus simply “predecessor,” as ia the adiing machine was the prcarsor ofthe adem electronic cular, the word usually means “something (or someone) that goes before aud somehow indicates the approach of something [or someone) else” Many daviors considera high choleerl lt prsersar to ear disse, © wemulous This word can mean either “tembling, quivering, shiking” or “timid, Feaefl, cowardly,” but it’s especially wed to mean “trembling as a resalt of fear.” 1 red mye for soluntering as, with temas fingers pick mp the spider amd curred it ent side 45With a natural, avuncular! affection, the Tin Woodman tried to assuage? the child’s burgeoning? panic by reminding her that no harm could come to her because she still carried on her forehead the protective mark of the good Witch’s kiss. “And you don’t need to worty about me or the Scarecrow either,” he told her, “because Pm ‘made of tin and the Scarecrow of straw, so we can’t be hurt.” “But what about Toto?” asked Dorothy anxiously. “What will peo- tect him?” She knew she had always cosseted* her dog—at least that’s what Uncle Henry claimed—but now she didn’t care if she coddled® him: in fact, she was glad of it “We will protect him ourselves,” said the Tin Woodman, still hop- | avuncular The middle part of this wont looks a litle like the word wyel, and, in fact, the word means “wncle-lke”; in other words, kindly, compassionate, generous, tc Tn the 988 fi Big, actor Robert Lagu ply te avwmcur bos of a toy eumpany 2 ansuage To arciage something (pain, hunges, anger, or feus, for example) is to make it less intense; to relieve it, reduce it, satisfy it, or eal it. Yuan later Karen ad ‘ited she'd joined the Peace Carp ont assuage th guilt se elf bunt ber exrprivaiged chil oad, > burgeoning Technicals, a plant ‘wens: that i, it begins to grow, to sprout, £0 blossom, to Mousish. But genevally, whea people desenbe something (besides plant) as durwoning, chey mean that i's (usually suddenly or quickly) growing, ex- panding, developing, increasing, thriving, ete. be she 1960s both indetrial expansion ad Doergoning trek and anton se weremed te ar polation probe. 4 cosset (cosseted) When you sass someone (a child, celebrity, or pet, for exam ple), you pamper him (indulge him, exclusively eater to his desires, ce). Ip 1987 Pater Prig-vinning jrnaist Mary MsGroy, spain ofthe fara of asasinaed Beye ‘ian presitnt Ammar Sadat said, * Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jirway Carter wo en {indy gratified to go 10 Cairo—to ride again on Aix Force One, f feel wanted, fb casted, conus, intomiswed, and phiggrsped as of ld.” coddle (coddled) If you cuddle someone you excessively tend to his needs or feel- ings; you treat him in an overly tender or indulgent manner. The implication is that by doing so you weaken his character. She confsed tows that se secret enjoyed whe fer hire ad colds bcs i ast ny tes otf oda hea wits it 46ing to placate! the little gil, Just as he was about to offer a few bromidic? reassurances, he heard a terrifying roar and an enormous Lion jumped onto the road! With one swipe of his paw, the great beast sent the Searecrow head over heels to the side of the toad, With another blow, he easily knocked the Tin Woodman to the ground. They both began to get back up but then quaileds, apparently cowed! by the Lion’s size and PugilisticS pose. Little 'Toto intrepidly® can barking toward the Lion, whose gaping, placate If you plasfe someone, you lessen or ease his anger, agitation, distusbanee, ete. Often you do this by making some concession or by offering something so that his feelings of anger oF sesemtment ate actuilly changed to feelings of goodwill We in publ—and omy when i pahko—thy placate thir sersamingtadler with chery ll pe bromide (bromidic) A bromide isan often-cepented expression, phrase, oF saying, that has lost its freshness and originality. You often see the word oid before the sword, a8 im fhe olf Dromide that you are wha! yo eat. The adjective, bromids, means “of tr lke a bromide.” The eng “A Wondered Gay” fram Rodger and Flanerstin’s South Pacific) is fled with corm, ol expressions and contains the fine ‘Tn as tite and a gay as 3 las in May, ac coming tr: Um bron and bright as 2 moon happy might powing Hho ‘nthe des." > quail (quailed) If you grail, you suddenly lose courage and shrink back im fear, usually because you've been somehow intimidated. He was just about to finaly tll is fe that be would no longer toeate the maty lok she aay gave bm, but be quale when be saw the nasty lak en ber fa cow (cowed) ‘To com someone is to intimidate oF frighten him, usually by threats oF a show of force. Often, once you've been caued (by someone or something), you lose spiit and courage. Cae by she aershelang ads again geting rich by writing pote, Arvo died sell is pperiter and nse the money to bay latory ck * pugilism (pugilistic) Page is just a fancy word for “boxing” Joe Louis and Muhammad Ab, for example, were famous pugs. As an adjective, ugitic means “pertaining to boxing.” Thre war Bite Lay or oni in puyism wna 1743, when English esing champion Jack Browghion dew p et of rues for the gare (whic inceded no isting Delon te Bet). intrepid (intrepidly) If you're inp, you're boldly or dasingly feasless (when faced with something dangerous or scary). The infrpid Mevsury aslronants (Ala Shipard Jom Glenn, ad aber) paved th may forte laer Apall strona 47maw! was ready. Dorothy, looking like a mother rushing to save her child from an oncoming train, raced forward and whacked the Lion on his nose as hard as she could! Tacredibly, the Lion started to ery, and blubbered®, “What did you do that for? I didn’t hurt him.” “No, but you tried to,” said Dorothy indignantly’, gently dan- dling! Toto in her arms. “You should be ashamed of yourself, a big. beast like you trying to bite a poor little dog. Why, you're nothing but a great big coward!” “1 know it,” said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. He went on to explain that his craven’ behavior was inherent® in his nature, maw A soe is the mouth (or jaws) of am animal, expecially « lange, meateating fone. You'll se this word more often in waiting than you'll hear it spoken. Figura tively, the word can be used to denote the opening of anything that has or seems to Ihave a lange appetite, as in heme svced ita the gaping ma of ll Tn gonna, tere ir Bite cheving of fond among gard many spy seize Aber pre, pave itn thar harptooted ma, Dite tem swallow © blubber (blubbered) Whea you ery (out loud) and talk at the same time, so that ‘what you say is broken, inarticulate, or incoherent, you've blublerng. Te yong sther red bor child's ubbering abot nt being alle a seond sera come, > indignant (indignantly) If you'se indignant, you'se angey about something you consider unfait. The nous is indignation. In 1995 many Americans, especial white Arvar- 21ns, ser indiguant aren a ry found O.]. Stepan nel gui of murder 4‘ dandle (dandting) When you lightly or playfully move someone (a baby, a small child, ete) up and down on your knee (or in your arms), you're danding him, When ‘be told me be ad ence ben dandied on Toy Racers ko, J did some quick math and fig ered Bim to beat feast 9 year of © raven If you're outer, you'te cowaudly. The woal is especially used if great timid- ity, aimtheartedness, or fear accompanies your cowardice. s bys, ea th 0s an among a atont to prove we were “myer ays, "jumped off the beh dvi haar “inherent Something that exists as an essential, permanent, and inseparable part of something else is ssid to be inbeen? (a that something ese). Am inlerat tat im a person is one that’s hereditary andl existing since birth, jer reading Darvin we debated abt witber the Stragye to surive” imburent in evry species is thy same thine as the “wil o ‘he bern im eory Iran 48‘most likely congenital! “I learned early on,” he continued, “that my loud roar scared the other animals, so I've always used it to frighten them away. That way I avoided fights. Until now it had always worked.” “Ie’s not right that the King of Bi Scarecrow. “T know,” said the Lion, wiping a tear feom his eye. “But what can I do? I don't have the nerve to act brave. I’m even afraid of my own shadow.” An embarrassing paroxysm# of sobbing, briefly presaged® by quivering shoulders, forced him to turn away from the group should be afraid,” said the In sotto vocet tones, the travelers agreed that, rather than chas- tise’ the Lion further, they should try to succor! him in some way. ‘congenital This word means “existing since bisth but not hereditary” I's gener- ally used to describe some medical defect that was acquired ducing fetal develop- ‘ment, a in congenital hart malformation. Siewsts are tl wot cure wheter barely is congenital or acquired. ® paroxysm Techicaly, this is « medical term that refers to either a sudden attack (or intensification or recurrence) of a disease oF to a convulsion (or spasm). But people often use the word to mean “any sudden, extreme outburst of emotion.” She da’ enjoy the mm comedy Basan ber boyfriend's parsons of laughter drowned ont nf the ine. » presage (presaged) To preuye is (o foreshadow (indicate oF suggest beforehand) fo foretell (predict), ws in dark cloud presque the downpowr: As a noun, a prey is something that foreshadows of foretells. The emotional ttemiy of (1th entry German composer) Robert Schuann’sarhetral norks presage his later nemeus beahdoarn # sotto voce In Italian this phrase (pronounced woo VOH procure (procuring) Ta praanr something isto get it (ae obtain ot acquire i). The implication is that some effort or difficulty is involved (an getting it). His ret claim so fe that bal inthe ties be managed to procare a backstage past for a Beatles comet “sustenance ‘This word means “food (or nourishment), especially if the food is thought of as life-sustaining” The homeless are ofen seo ping tvongh garbage cams be cans theyre desperate ned of sustenance. But the word ean also refer to anything (other than food) that preserves (or seems to preserve) ile, Th misionary found sustenance i ‘is dessin to cere bc if tanning snd for Cri 5 forage (foraging) To font is to wander about in search of food (or sometimes other provisions). He heried tht animal i be mild ner Dece Dore Bxae the 00 Say frag fr fod [potable If you refer to water as fotahh, you mean that it's drinkable (Gt or safe to ink). The asronant’sKf-spport system contained becttable air, potable mater, and nutiions ood.of nuts. He culled! the largest of them to fill Dorothy’s basket, then filled the hollow of a small, curved piece of tree bark with water ‘When he returned and handed the food and drink to the child, she noticed that the nuts looked strange and prickly. Though normally not particularly fastidious? about food, she was rather afraid to try them, She sipped some of the water; after a while she sipped some more. Then, with hunger winning out over caution, she cracked open one of the strange-looking, shells. Taking, a tentative? taste of the kemel inside, she found it to be surprisingly palatablet When Dorothy lay down to sleep, the Scarecrow covered her with dry leaves that kept her snug and warm. Toto and the Lion lolled$ cull (culled) To cu! something is to pick out (or select) only the best parts of it (aad seject the rest), Radio comedian Fred Allen (1894-1956) once observed, “The Asmrican ariees in Paris witha fon ronch pases De bas cle from a comerational gute on pied wp Irom find who wna bert.” fastidious People who se fatidiars are difficult to please (they're fussy, particular, critical, otc), often because thes'ze excessively attentive to detal or appearance (they’se overly sefined, delicate, dainty, correct, ete). Asoning t9 Compton's Ency~ lopeaia, "Most cts meer ead a bata cat natural fastidious clan and spends much tse spooning” » tentative To describe something as frtativ is to say either that i's dene om aa experimental or provisional basis (ts not final or definite), as in ty made fntatne ‘plans to mee for dower, ot that it's dome in a hesitant, uncertain manier, asin she fento ‘ely petted te take, In hs 1960 book The Process of Education, American poyhelegt ‘and Harvard profewor Jerome Barer sai, “The seed ues, the frie ypathess, te sour vous lap to Seta cnshusion—tbev are the rst valuable coins of the ahinker ac works int ‘nas oboe guessing is early pemabed and is asoctaed somehow with lanes.” “palatable Your palit is the roof of your mouth. If food is described as palit, it's pleasing or agceeable to your palate (jour taste)—or it's at Jeast agreeable ‘enough to be eaten. [fan idea is deserved as palatably its agreeable (or atleast ac- ceptable) to your mind. Toy dicor oft mew production af Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado, {in ork to snake the songs more palatable to today's pts cores anc, dete frome the res anbing tha might be considered afesive to miners, S Joll lolled) If you're half sitting and half Iying (on your couch, for exsmple) in « relaxed, comfortable way, you're llligg He called nick to work and hem ipent te day in ‘is batrob, dling onthe sof, washing TV.near the fire awhile, then fell fast asleep. The Tin Woodman and the Scarectow, not needing sleep, stood awake all night plying? the burn- ing pyre? with fresh logs and trying hard not to laugh at the Lion’s stertorous? breathing. ‘The next morning, the little group started off again toward the Emerald City. But within an houe they came to a great ditch that ctossed the road and divided the forest as far as they could see to their left and right. Walking to the edge, they saw the sides of the ditch were precipitous! and that the deep bottom was filled with lange, jagged rock: For a while it seemed their journey must end. Then the Lion had a thought, but he felt too diffident’ to voice it, Finally forcing himself, ply (plying) Whes you ply something, you repeatedly supply it with something (or apply something to it). A tvough dinner, haping to Sain ap tis npg date, be ped Der ith aladol Note: The word also has two other meanings: (1) “to work with or use busily,” as in the samctes pled hur med (2) (referring to boats) “to follow a course ‘ona regular basis,” asin frie tht the route between Cape Cad and Martha's Vineyard 2 pyre A pyre is a ple of wood (or other combustible matesial) for buening. The word #8 ofien used in the phrase “Tneril pyre,” which is a pyre used for buming lead bodies, Jr Egyptian myth, when a, penis: rach 500, yar af age, it burn tl ‘apy er rise renewed fro its on ales > stertorous Breathing described as sertomus is breathing accompanied by heary snoring sounds. (La medicine, a strtoris 4 heavy breathing sound that accompanies respiration in certain diseases) 1 couldn’ emay the moe be of the serlorons brasthing of the old gy inthe oat west ine « precipitous A prope is a very step cif: Something described os psi ( commis ox ed for expla) vey caps Bet he won! can eo dese soe sical things (win «rants dy stk pie), he rosie in ets that many fra ofthe U.S. expres i te 1380s bar lad ined bolas, Note: People they offen we the woel—thoophi some language exper fed (ie m en emme—an Squongm for the adjective prep (ast syllable dhymes with ff, which means “Readlong,”“abeupt,” or “ash as in Tw hare id god ye, btw it rate pr fins) © diffident If you lack sel-confideuce (and don’t reilly trust your own opinions ot ilies), and as « result act timid, restrained, or hesitant (in speaking or acting), you'ce difdent. Om the cater fine be duchihy fond lial standing right blind the protist gir in the soboak unfortunately, he as sudden to diffe 0 s2y one word tober: 54he proclaimed, “I think T ean jump actoss the ditcht™ “Then we can continue,” said the Scarecrow in another exhibit of perspicacious! insight. “You can carry us over on your back, one at atime. Take me first, because if T fal, T won’t get hurt.” “Pim terribly afeaid of falling myself,” said the Lion, “but what else can we do? Get on my back and Tl give it my best.” So the Scase- cow climbed upon his mighty mount? and the large beast, giving a great spring, shor through the air and landed safely on the other side. ‘The Scarectow dismounted and the Lion sprang back aczoss the dirch for the nest passenger Dorothy decided she would be nest, and since Toto weighed very little, she carried him in her arms. She climbed on the Lion’s back, and in a moment she found herself on a brief but harrowing? flight over the treacheroust ditch. After landing safely on the other side, the Lion went back a third time for the Tin Woodman, perspicacious If you're paypiotias you have keen perception and sound judg- ‘ment; you're insightful, you're able to sec into things in a way that let's you pene- trate them and wadesstand them, Jouar Salk’ porpicacious imiht that rina asin do met ed tintin ert mig hd 0 evelopment of the iret pio vain © mount Asa noun, a zwar is something that you nide—especially » lange animal; more especially, a horse. As soon as Zermy finished caving th ler “Z" th bic sword, te chimed bis maunt and rade of ® harrowing An experience described as humming is one that is distressing, agoniz= ing, nerve-waacking, upsetting, disturbing, ete, The lai film The Saake Bit (7248) is «Darron lnk at Sf inde manta inition. 4 treacherous Something described as smear is dangerous of haratdows, a in tle Iraaheros ascent io the mp of Mount Exerest ox the teacheroes mates off Norzh Carolina's (Cape Hatteras. Work on the Pananss Canal began in 1981, hut male, yelbw jvr, and ‘eacherous terrain sed wot engineers to bebese that a canal could not be built. Nove: IE a per- son is desenbed as eacles, the wor! has a different meaning; it means “unfaith- fal” or “disloyal.”After they had all safely crossed the ditch, and once the haggard! Lion had had a chance to rest awhile, they all set out again along the yellow brick road. On this side of the ditch, the thick, Cimmerian? woods frightened the travelers, and each wondered, in his own mind, if they would ever reach the refuge’ of the Emerald City Now Dorothy started to hear steange noises coming from deep within the forest, and the Lion whispered to her, “This is the pact of the country where the Kalidahs live.” Then he thought to himself: And V'm scared to death of them! The Kalidahs, he went on to explain, were large, rapacious® beasts with heads like tigers and bodies like bears, and with long, sharp claws that could easily sever* a limb. Suddenly hearing 2 toesin® of alarm sound in his mind, he began anxiously obsessing, about his dreaded béfe noire?, That's when he haggard If you have a wom-out and eshausted appearance (and especialy if you look thin or distressed) from (or as if from) exertion, anxiety, hunger, or disease, you're haggand. The desire ofcts ofthe Cvil War were ibe in Abraham Linol's hag gerd face. 2 Cimmerian In Greck mythology, Cinsrians were people who inhabited a land of pempetval darkness. Hence, a place desenbed as Cispmurian is very datk (or gloom), Const bat nba the dp, Comorian cass of New Mesien' Carkihsd Caverns National Park. > refuge A rifige is any place of safety, shelter, o& protection (fiom danger of trou Lae). Int ltr’s story "The Tine Lite Pig,” the first andor ig tke rege (rom the ‘Big Ba Wel) in Lb hid i's Bichon 4 rapacious rapacious animal is one that exists by eating other animals. People who are rapacious are hungrily greedy; they take what they want Aryy ants are nip is topical ants that move lane avarms and devour ating in ter path, sever To sar (omething) is o cut it off (From the whole). ‘The word cx apply to physical things or non-physical things. By June of 1861, 11 Sontbern ster bad serrd ni es with the Union © wwesin A doin is a signal (especially of alarm), usually sounded on a bell, Wher 1 sme make coming from the srplan's engine, asain of alas ran in my ead Ddéte noire This is French phase that literally means “black beast” and is wsed to descabe whoever or whatever you especially dread or dislike. [nga schoo! production of Peter Pan, I played Captain Hook's béte soize—theemcodie wid ben of is handavowed! his great fear of them to Dorothy. Now, tertified that some Kalidahs might detect their presence, they moved onward as stealthily? as possible, Suddenly they saw before them another gulf across the road. This ‘one was so big that the Lion knew he couldn’t possibly leap over it. As they all sat down to consider what to do, the Scarecrow quickly surveyed the surcounding area, With reasoning susprisingly cogent? for one with no brains, he determined thar if the Tin Woodman could chop down a nearby tzee so that if fell accoss the ditch, they could all easily cross to the other sidel And so, with an axe-blade as trenchant! as the Scarecrow’s per- ception, the Tin Woodman mightily set to work, and soon the tree trunk was nearly chopped through. Now the Lion pressed his strong front paws against the tree and pushed hard until the tree slowly avow (avowed) To aos’ something is 10 say it or acknowledge it frankly and ‘openly (and usually without shame); to admit it, 10 confess it, Avosed exn be a ver (past tense of atm) oF an adjective meming “declared” or “acknowledged,” as in George Wallace wa an avowed seregatonit. In 1966 Hoey Newton and Bobby Seale forme ‘the Black Panther Parb for Self Dfonse withthe avowed intention of protecting te Blac comma- nity of Oakland, California, from pote rata. ® stealth (stealthily) To do something: sew is to do it quielly, enatiowsly, se- cretly, ete. (0 asnot fo attrct notice). Asa noun, seals the practice of moving ot scting in such a manner Dering the TV” nate shom, me wore ata t lok asthe cmeodie steal ava toward the drinking antelope, * cogent If an explanation or argument is onprf, i's convincing, believable, or compelling (because i's clealy presented and logical). Infenstingh, Gregor Monde’ xg esplamaton of inbred tras in plats was ignored wnt afer Is deals ' genchant This word originally meant “sharp” or “sharp-edged” (as of a blade), but today refers to sharpness of mind ot language. Anything deseribed as zeman? (caticism, arguments, wit, ete) is incisive and cuttings it gets to dhe heart ofthe mat ter in a sharp, clear way. Sinclair Lewis's trnchant sates about middeclsr Amorise wow ‘ion Nobel Pre for toate (1930).tipped over. With a eacophonous! crash it fell across the ditch, its benumbed? leaves and top branches resting on the other side ‘They had just started to cross this queer bridge when they heard behind them a loud snarl that made them stop and turn around. Rac- ing toward them were two large beasts with heads like tigers and bodies like bears! Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Wood- ‘man immediately sccambled to the other side. But the Lion, shaking with fear, stayed behind to face the abhorrent? brutes. Feigning' truculence’, the Lion roared so loudly that even Dorothy and her friends were momentasily frightened. The Kalidahs stopped a moment in startled susprise, but then, realizing they were bigger that the Lion and that there were two of them and only one of him, easily saw through his empty bravado® and again rushed for- ‘eacophonous A sound deseribed as cuophonoes is harsh, dissonant, unpleasant, ot chaotic sounding, The noun is cayplony, We ited th fora? base we beard hw psd ‘it wat; then when we anised we were greted with an unbearable cacophony of bid calls and inset benumbed To beruh something is to make it uumb (eprive it of sensation) Something deseribed as bemumbd has been made numb (stiff, hele), Ti frsthite ictin's bead finger ad termed gayishyeli afl doh > abhorrent If you find something sblorent, you find it hateful (or disgusting oF sepellent). The word is especially used (astead of simply “hateful” if the object of your hatred is considered truly hoeeible or outrageous. Rightiosfegraups find the ea of ‘abortion ablorrent. Note: The verb abler means “to hate” (usually something horable ‘orouteageouts), asim I able ey ad of animal ere “feign (feigning) ‘To fpr (Gomething) is to put on a false appearance of it, to deceptively smitate it. Ie she 1986 ji Ferris Buellee’s Day OM, the sl clarace fegns hes in are to aid going to co © truculent (truculence) If you're ‘nol, you're aggressively hostile; you're natu- tally disposed to fight. Jn (lal saged enetainont Reon ax profesional aeing, a “ler” len ater a trcaent “vila.” bravado \ false of pretended show of courage or bravery is known as Jnnudo. Often there's aa implication that this show is swaggering ox bosstful, [Flea Igo fo the ents alos, I treable with fights bt wheneorT take ny yg som with, 1 fore neil to pat on a comeincing show of bradward, Knowing he was only moments away ftom excoriation! or worse, the Lion, responding more to visceraF than intellectual motivation, crossed the bridge like something shot from a slingshot. Now the Kalidahs were crossing the tree, and the Lion impetu- ously’ said to Dorothy, “They're going to tear us to pieces, but stand. behind me and Tl fight them as long as I’m alive.” With palpablet apprehension, he girded’ himself for the fray® excoriate (excoriation) To «sora something is 0 ip (or strip oF tea) is skin off The cstauay ppd a rat then thy esi cooked and ate i Often the word js used figuratively to mean “ctcize severely” (ip apart), a i i en, te drums tc excoated the mew pleariht » visceral The wont sv denotes your internal omgans, especially your intestines, your guts, So if you feel something kor), you Feel i im yorur guts; you feel i in Stinctively and narueilly (not intellecruslls) IF you refer to something (a form of artistic expression, for example) as sfconal, you mean that it's eaithy and charicter- ied by natueal urges. When the fevnagepank-rock guitars father tld lim be should study nie they, the by annverd, °T aid snail owes iP wold only debit my riceral explains." impetuous (imperuously) IF you're épetous, you set abruptly, hastily, or rashly, without duc consideration or delisration, Often there's an implication that the action you're ndestaking has some clement of tsk or danger to it. Naw Yor: Yan- ‘bes prinipal nner Gente Steinbrenner ic known for his igptnour firings and lavngs of team wanagers (n't changed managers marly 20 fier. ‘ palpable If something is palpabl, it can be touched or felt. Often the word is used to refer to something abstract (a feeling, an idea) that isso intense that you feel as if you can touch it, asim the Zonion in the rm mas papa, The myst’ tings and chara fos togeborcomvged a papable sens of exit © gind (girded) When you gin? yourself for something (a battle a test, ete), you prepare yourself for it by drawing on your resources of strength and power). Mind ing inl fe to face with drvoing, sary Germazn shepherd, be ored ine a ele and sy, "Nie deg, mice deg" means as ginting hms fr ab igh of is i fray A fray is « noisy ox heated fight; brawl, a seullle, Besse of Smiterlan' sist tay, the ayof Gena its “hyd te fos" an hus provides a partial rating around Jor ripresentaives of tr nations 59‘Meanwhile, the Scarecrow had been furiously ratiocinating!, With the sapient? strategy of a seasoned? general, he told the Tin Wood- ‘man to chop away the end of the tree that rested on their side of the ditch. The Tin Woodman set to work at once, and just as the vora~ cious? predators’ were nearly across, the tree fell with a horrifying diné into the gulf, carrying the Kalidahs with it. Both were neatly impaled? on the sharp, jagged cocks below. \ ratiocinate (ratiocinating) To ratcnate (pronounced ra-ee O5-i-mat) is to rox son logially, to deduce. My favonte npitoy stores are ones in which the deztve uses pure rasiocnaton to soe the cri = sapient IF you'se sapien, you'ee wise and you show good judgment or discernment. Alb ofthe sspent obsessions made ly Dr. Benjamin Spock in it 1946 book Baby and Child (Cae might be summarized by one statement be made in 1950: “What good pwobers and fathers tinively fel edna for ther babs is sual bet afer all” » seasoned Everyone knows that when food is serone, its flavor is (supposedly) ‘enhanced through the adding of spices. But if you say that a person is rationed, yor ‘mean that he's competent and maruse; he's been around a long time and has learned ‘lot from his experience. In 1928 Herbert Hoover, a former muving enginer fra lua, leet 2 for the Predeny against the reasoned New York Democratic gvervar, AY Smith + voracious If you're snows, you greally crave something (usually food); your ap petite (for it) is hard to satisy. You'll often hear the phrase rorucons render, which ‘efets to someone who loves to read (he can’t get enough). Looking ater a peblched ‘tof animale comsidondvoraions, I mar surprised to find thatthe sharp-toated piranha was not Intded bt that Cookie Monster nal © predator (predators) A predator isan animal tha lives by seizing and eating other animals, The adjective is predatory, as in mulher ae predator animals. Bot i you refer to a person as pray (or a a pair), you don't mean he eat live animals; you mean hae greedily takes whatever he wants, Whew diverbed, aapwses git a dark ink, whe ‘ides then fom predators din A din is any (usualy prolonged) noisy jumble of sound—the kind of loud but indistinct sound you might hear in 4 ctowded restaurant of a machine shop, for example, The noon whistle pieced tbe din ofthe fact impale (impaled) To impale someone (or something) is to pierce through his body with something long and pointed (lke « sharpened stake or spike). Lv the lar see of te move the viln fl fe the oof ad wa impaled onthe shar, spied fence belo 60ARY B Understandably, the travelers now felt even more threatened by the baleful! atmosphere of the tenebrous? woods, and they walked as fast as they could. They were delighted to see that the trees be- came thinner as they advanced. But suddenly they stopped, for be- fore them was a broad, swiftly flowing river. baleful Anything that’s dvifi/in some way (cilker intentionally of unintentionally) threatens oF foreshadows evl or ham (which may or may not actually occu). The sampire Count Drala art played in fs by actor Bela Liga, hore Hungarian acent and alg ee have bso asaciaed with ie chanson © tenebrous This word, which derives from the Latin word for daskness, means “dazk and gloomy." Ar lee in bis masiepiece The Descent from the Cross, Rembrandt was able t inate the dearatc impact of hs ints by setting partially einated fees again lebransbackerounds, aChapter 7 “The River™ On the other side of the river they could see brilliant sunshine, amare! skies, and beautiful, green meadows studded with brightly colored flowers. And wafting? across the water was the delightful aroma of the delicious fruits that hung from the trees that bordered the yellow brick road. “How will we cross the river?” Dorothy asked. “That's easy.” said the Scarecrow. “The Tin Woodman can chop logs and fasten them together to make a raft. We'll float across.” So the Tin Woodman set to work by chopping down small trees Bur it takes a long time to build a raft, even when one is as assidu- ‘ous? as the Tin Woodman. By nightfall, the work was still not done, and Dorothy, now comfortably ensconced! in a bed of dry leaves, fell asleep. The next morning the raft was finished, and Dorothy and her anure This word means “light blue”; specifically, the color of the sky om a clear, cloudless day. Speaking ofthe Exyptign sana, Bric phatagraplar Cecil Baton onc sai, “More varied than any landscape was the landcape in the sky, with isla of gold and sbe, Pens of aprcel and rose against a background of tay sade of tru and ag.” waft (wafting) To mus to float gently through (or be carried through) the aie (as ‘an aroma, for example). She tli ut she fnalyaxceeded in getting hor tevmage som out of bed forenoon —by alloning tb arona of coking bacon to sat thaugh the bans a abot 10:30! » assiduous This word mesas “pemevering,” especially when combined with “at- teative” In other words, if you work hard and continuouly (at some task or toward some goal), and especially if you do this work carefully (with attention to detail, you'te asideas (oe your effort is asiduou). The publication in 1928 of the massive, aad ‘ewtove Osford Engh Dicionay regu dauadesofasiduous rading, writin, and editing, ‘ensconce (ensconced) To encom yourself in something (an armchair, for exam- pe) is to comfortably and securely settle yourself in it. We finally fownd the oat inthe Drom, ensconsdl among the plsfriends awakened feeling refreshed and full of hope. The haleyont landscape across the river seemed to herald? an auspicious? new chapter in their peregrinations Dorothy sat at the middle of the raft with Toto in her arms. When the massive Lion stepped on, the raft listedS so severely to star board® that it appeared the vessel might founder!. The Scarecrow haleyon This word (pronounced HAL-s1) can mean “peacefil, calm, tanguil” as in /uzyon sealer, but more often it means “happy and earefreo" (especially when sefetring to past times), as in fadyor days of uth. The word desives from the name ‘of a mythical bird (haleyon) which was said to have the power to calm the wind and ‘waves as it bred in a nest floating on the sen, In Aad Hilclack's 1943 fils Shadow (of a Doubs, a gil’ hakyon exists ds destryed wlen she suspects thatthe vsting unc se Joos etl te Mey Widow Marlee 2 heradTo be cinching (a about com) iso omommce i, ve ig indication off or wher it in. As noun, a el is something (or someone) that foes digere ction SE cencthing (bats abet tx ecene). arent ba the coming of greg, » auspicious If something (an occasion, event, situation, ete) is amps, its cir ‘cumstances are favorable and a successful or happy outcome is thus indicated ot suggested. Dr October 1908, on the auspicious ecasion ofthe birth ofthe Model Heney Ford sui “al ui a ator car forthe great itd.” \ pereggination (peregrinations) A perarinution is traveling oF journeying, (rom ‘one place to anothes), especially on foot. The woal is usually used in the plural Daring his perrinations inthe Ohio River all, Joey Appleed planted apple seeds, pened pple res, and encurage settles to start orchards © ligt (sted) This is verb that usually applies to boats (or aay water vessels) When a boat fit it leans (o tits of slants) to one side. Ln rust ries about the Decor ber 7, 1941, spice Japanese air altach om Pearl Harbor yom cam so Amrican slips sting, burning or sinking "starboard When spesking of a ship (or aircraf), stadound eofers to the right side, 4s you face the front feom within. (Ihe left side is called port) I agente a starbward alin om our sonzbbound erie ship because I wanted to watch he san set fot our seman indo 6and the Tin Woodman quickly positioned themselves on the port? side, one neae the bow? and the other near the stern, and this way they were able to steady the wobbly craft. With long poles held in their hands, the Seareerow and the Tin Woodman, pushing against the river bottom, began propelling the raft actos the river. They moved along quite well at fiest, but when they reached the middle of the river, the strong, inexorable’ custent swept them downstream, further and further away from the yellow brick road. In an effort to stop the errant® raft, the Scarecrow pushed hard on “founder When « ship founds, it sinks (or fills with water and sinks). Over 1509 People dren ed mon, on it rcin rope in April 1912, the Titanic fndersd after colliding ‘ith an keberg The word is aso used figuratively to mean “to fail uttely, collapse.” Aer bis second mariage 9 Eigabeth Taylor foundered, Richard Biorton said, “Our lve is so far that we brn each eter at.” © port When spedking of a ship (or sitcral), pwr refers to the left side, as you face the front from within, (The right side is called starlaard) She requested a port cabin wn ‘wr southbound ce slip beause she manted do wats the sum rie fram our stateroom window > how The bur (diymes with nov) is the front part of a ship (or any water vessel (The sear past is called the sem) Ancient nurse wor often euipped sith “beaks”: etal Prins on the bw orate eng ese ‘stern ‘The stor i the rear part of « ship (or any water vessel). (The front pat is called the law) Many sunips are equipped with “som chases": special backaand painting gens or cannons neon nthe str for fing at pursing veel © inexorable IT something is inesorub, i cannot be swayed or diverted from its (usually inevitable) course; it’s relentless, unyielding, unalterable. Unnaling to submit ‘eines forces of ator and time thet break doe oantains, Japan, in 1982, ered a snail a hal eravon ofthe pect formed, snow-capped cone ofthe sacred Mount Fiji. © errant This word has two meanings. The first is “wandering or moving about simlessly.” The emant cles sere quickly lasoed and brought ba int the herd. in another sexse if you'se emu, your action or bchavior deviates from the pmper course, oF it dleviates from accepted standards. Eery profison (ding, lw, journal, polis, el) ust hav sone san for eluding ov pamizhing evant members 64his pole and it stuck fast in the viscous! mud. Before he could pull it back out or even let go, the raft was swept away from under his feet, and the hapless? Scarecrow was left clinging to the pole in the mid- dle of the river! Soon the careering® raft was far downstream, and the Lion, realiz- ing something must be done to save them, said to the Tin Woodman, “Till jump into the water and swim to shore. If you hold on to the end of my tail, the raft will be pulled along behind me.” ‘The Lion swam tenaciously', but the implacable’ cusreat was hard to overcome. Eventually he managed to draw the raft out of the flow, and Dorothy, taking the long pole from the Tin Woodman, | viscous If liquid is tam, its thick and sticky; it doesn’t Dow easly. Tar and hhoney, for example, ate viscous liquids, The nown is sissy. Some rolsanic lana é ton acon Yo fl oy Jr: oraeguenty, He aer the soksano's open tp orig dare ove it 2 hapless IF you'se Aaplss, you're unlucky or unfortunate; bad things scem to hap- pen to you for no apparent reason. Ov tir way out he barbers sac te hapless ward ars the fe > career (carvering) Everyone knows that as 4 noua, your cnr is your chosen ‘occupation ot profession. But asa vesb, to caneris to move along at top speed (or at Teast to move rapidly, to eush). Wen its bakes aed, the 18-vhetrcareerad dws the el Note: Don't confuse this word with cinvn, which means “to swerve or hur while {in mation,” oF (of ships) “to slant to one side” * tenacious (tenaciously) If you're fnucious (about achieving some goa, clinging to 4am idea oF object, oF upholding some principle), you're persistent and enduringly stubbom sbout it, you won't give up or admit defeat. The nown is fess. Acconting 0 Disney mosis, nobody foght woe tenaciously at the istoric bate of te aro thaw Day Crockett implacable People who are inplasshé can't be soothed of satisfied; they cefuse to change (a behavior or an opinion). Some historians bse tht aha realy ended the Crit Warin 1963 war UbsserS. Grants impluable poly of conconmatng al is eforts om aeding ‘aud detoyng the Confederate armies Things that are implacable axe relentless snd ual terable, Fads and mudslides from implacable rains caused widespread property damage in Scuthrm California in January 1962. 6conned! the craft to shore. ‘With the rafting fiasco? behind them, it was now time to find theit way back to the Scarecrow and the yellow brick road. The Lion thought the best plan would be to simply walk along the riverbank toward where they had started. So, with their flagging’ energy re- stored by a short rest, they began theie journey upstream, -As they walked they couldn’t help but imbibet the beauty of the scenery. Myriadss of motes!, hitherto? invisible, now flitted eva- ‘con (conned) To sor {also spelled sont) a ship isto steer it (or direct the steesing of it), (The enclosed, raised area from which a warship is stecred is called “com ning tower”) We knew that a “pilot” ica person ve fle am sixplare: then we tansed that “pus” ial the word fora person wa, thagh nor Belonging toa ship's company, i Hens io om the ship into ae of port or thr dangers ators. * fiasco Something referred to as a fas is a complete failure in which everything goes wrong, The 1961 Bay of Pigs fas, in shich about 1400 CLA-tained Caan exes ‘id fo ererthvow Casta bad were Baldor taken prisoner, sas proay the mart emmarasing (pradein the Presidency of Jol F. Kennedy whe Bad approved the isin. > flag (lagging) When something fig, it decreases in energy, vitality, stsengus, activity, or interest, In 1976 Nem Jerey gals casino gombling in Atlantic City to Iufp vie the i's flageing scone. ‘ imbibe Depending on the contest, this word can mean “to drink,” or “to take ia for abso* (in the mind), as if by drinking” When the word means literally “to dink” and its used without an object, alcoholic beverages are implied, asin I bite ‘nly once a yeur—an New Year's Fe, When your mind imbibe it absorbs some concept for idea (knowledge, beauty, ete), With te enthasiasicensunagemont of bar Spanisl-bare ‘stand (actor Jost Forer, singer Rosemary Clooney imbibed the ransc, art, and catre of Enrage om ervey fot tip tot continent, © myriad (myriads) This word derives from a Greck word for “ten thousand.” But today the word refers to any lage or uncountable aumber (of something). As an adjective it means either “countless,” as in myriad fish in tle sa, ox “composed of ‘numerous, diverse elements,” as in Amenzanconkery isthe produc of myriad inflemzs. x ‘noun the word cam be used in the singular (“x myxiad of") ox the pliral (“myriads 6") I building theft atomic bor, ressarcters worked fariousy to sl a myriad of wientife probs 66nescently? as the wind whisked them through parallel bars of sun- light. And beyond them Dorothy saw a copset of pretty trees fes~ tooned® with multicolored fruits. [f not for her deep concern for the Scarecrow, Dorothy could have been very happy on this side of the river. All at once the Tin Woodman pointed and cried out “Look!” Dorothy and the Lion saw the Scarecrow still perched on his pole in the middle of the river, his usual cheesful countenance® metamor- mote (motes) A soi isa tiny speck or pacticle. Specifically, people usually use this word to refer to tiny specks of Mloating dust that become visible when struck by lcect sunlight. thnght tha by buying a bedroom air prior I wowed sole my allergy Pmblom: Dut ithe morning wien T oponed the shades and the cantght poured in T raw tht he room ae file with dst mated! hitherto This wordl means “uatll now; formerly." Aff the Wate afi, Devos at etd the Uitheria wrk Jimmy Carter as Prien > evanescent (evanescently) If something is mune, i lasts for only & very short time; it's fleeting; it tends to disappear quickly, like vapor. According fo my fri Bruce's “oamnts” thor, all the realy good parts of your fe add wp £0 nothing more ian a sare of plsurabl et vanercen roomie " copse \ opie of trees ix a dump (group, thicket) of trees standing by itself Ie 1964 New York's Five Island (a sandy, narrow, 30-rtelong isand off he soutben coast of Long sland) was made a national seasbore; as sch, i's animale, Beaches, dems, and copes of pine tres ar ratte by fort law. © festoon (festooned) A decorative sting, chain (sometimes of flowers oF Iesves), ribbon, etc, that’s suspended in a curve between two points is called a foam, As a veth, to favoon is to hang such a decoration (or something simula). fe knew by'd malted inte his om surprise party, becuse, enn before everyone shouted “unpre,” be sam, fis ‘woned on the wall, a lon pss of colored paper ith the words “Happy Barty, Bi" countenance Your souenanse is your facial expression. Alfer 1960 meting with David Bev Gurion, French president Chars de Gaulle decribed th Lira Prion Minister as a on with a low's countenance.” oaphosed! into a scow. They tried to think of a way to help him but coulda’t, so they just sat on the riverbank and gazed at him commiis- eratively?. After a while, a Stork happened to fly by and, seeing Dorothy and her friends, stopped to rest near them, When the large bird gaze them quizzicallys, Dorothy introduced heeself and her friends and told the Stork about theie trip to the Emesald City. “The only peob- lem,” Dorothy finished, looking wistfully$ toward the iver, “is that we've lost the Scarecrow.” he Stork eyed the Scarecrow thoughtfully and said, “Tf he weren't so big, T would get him for you.” metamorphose (metamorphosed) ‘To. mitunurphos is to change into «com: pletely different form of appearance. (The word is related to metanorplass, whieh, jou may remember from biology class is the term for the change in form of an ‘animal during normal development after he embryonic stage; for example, theough ‘metamomphosis « caterpillar changes into a butterfly and a tadpole becomes a frog) In Rober! Louis Stevenson's clase fale the oud Dr. Jekyll, aftr drinking a pation, metamar- phone ints the cre. satis Mr. Fd 2 scowl A scov/isw facial expression that, usually accompanied by a drawing in of the eyebrows, expresses anger or displeasure, Ax a verb, o «avis to put on a dark, threatening, angry, oF displeased expression, When he ated lis fame i she'd Bke t go umping on ter oneyoon, se scaled and said, "What are we, cpm > commiserate (commiseratively) When you covmisne with someone (who suf feted some misfortune), you sympathize with him; you express your sorrow (0 him); you act ike you share his pain. Je 1990, spusking of bres, British wath Joanetie Winters sad, “I's trae that beroes are inspiring, but masta’ they abo do sume resi if they are 15 be worthy of tar name? Would Wonder Woman mater f she only sent enumerating (leas tthe dst” 4 quizaical (quizzically) To descabe something (¢ facial expression, for example) as griggs is to say that it's questioning ov puzzled. [Fen Brice Springsten took the age se tread 0 re wth a quizgcal lok and asked, “Why is everyone booing hire” (Le plained that they werent eling “bao,” they mere pling “Bruce”) © wistful (wistfully) IF you'ce win, you're sadly thoughtful; you's longing or yetming (lor something) his “Prayer for Aimah," French tholegian aed mala! mat ‘onary Albert Selwsiter (1875-1965) prayed for all wis eretares in captivity that beat ‘ir wines aging bars" 68“But he’s very, very light because he’s made of straw,” urged Dorothy beseechingly!, hoping this riposte? would convince the bird to at least try “TIl try,” said the Stork, “but if he’s too cumbersome’, Till have to drop him in the river.” And with that the bird suddenly flew to the Scarecrow. She tried to lift him, but he desperately clung to the stillstuc pole, “Pull up if I pull up,” she coached him palindromically*. ‘Then with her strong, sharp talonsé she pulled on his shouldess as he did on the pole, and she easily carried him, pole still in hand, to the shore. “The Scarectow was so happy to be on dry land with his cronies® beteeceh (besecchingly) To brawl is to beg, oF to eamestly request, Sometimes the word carries with it an implication of eagerness or ansicty. Le te Laupoll Lah “tll! killing" murder case of 1924, eriinal atoray Clarence Darrow introduced poyhiarc idence and bssched the court to Have my onthe depondantsy the revadé was avert of Bie Iinprvononent ratter han the death penal 2 iposte A nport is a quick, shasp seply (sometimes in response to an insult or chal lenge). (The term comes from the sport of fencing, where «ripe is a quick thrust in response 10 an opponents hinge ) Wen Lady Alvar, ft joale mambo of the Brits Parkaet, sid 10 Winston Corel, “fT were arid to ou, Ud pt poion in your cf,” Churchill answered with tis riposte "IT mere mare to you, Vd ain itt” > cumbersome Something that’s canbonarre is awkward or difficult to easy, move, ‘manipulate, deal with, or handle because it’s heavy, lasge, or clumsy. The adieal set of armor, while ceberan, mst an efectos protesiecoeing «palindrome (palindromically) \ pulindrome is « word, phease, oF sentence that reads the same backwards as forwaeds, such as “A man, a'plan, a canal, Panamal” amoans pindronre me Dear wat “Kay, red made, perp wera yak talon (talons) A talon is the claw of » bird (especially « id of prey). In the Gras Sea of th United States, the American eagle bokds am eve branch of peace) in is right talon ‘and azrons (ofa) isl © erony (cronies) A cronyis a long-time close friend, expecially one whose company you offen keep. Sometimes the worl has political implications; for example, the term coy refers to the practice of favoring one's friends in politcal appoint- meats, Tiv 1988 fil Married to the Mob i abun? a Mafia widow tying fo wpe the les of or bunds cronies. oo‘again that, after flinging away the pole, he capered! about ebul- Hiently2, stopping only to momentarily hug each of them. Finally, exhausted from his own revelry’, he quit the histrionies', sat down, and said with sincere gratitude to his rescuer, “If T ever get any brains, P'¢d like to do some kindness for you in return.” But the Stork, politely deprecating® what she had done, altruistically® assured the caper (capered) To gprs to playflly (and usually happily lxp (dip, bop, te) shout (The word comes from the Latin word for “mae goat," and, w= you know, tales goats playilly leap about) In a faa ry ak ey ne Rampeckins mame Fs qused incor, be hal caper abe 2 ebullient (cbulliently) If you're sbutlent, you'se bubbling: wp with enthusiasm, excitement, or spit. On she fist day of summer vacation the hilren wer eb; by she swcond day they or bre > revel (revelry) As a verb, to vl is either to take delight oF great pleasure (in something), as in le ried in his aden meat, o¥ to indulge in noisy, uaresteained partying or celebrating, as in on Nev Your's Exe they need for bas. As noun, reef ‘is noisy, unrestasined merrymaking, Revey is the act of revling, Aiconing to Compton's Encyclopedia, “Ye earliest cleation of Mand Gras in New Orleans began in 1766 with maced balls and indecent) stretprossons. By 1806 the annua? reelty had goten 0 aut of hand that Mardi Gres celebrations sere fbn, but she lw sas mide ignore. Exaggerated, acificial, or theatsical emotional behavioe (acm waving, yelling, etc) done for effect is known as latronce. The adjective is drdhonc ("exces sively emotional or dramatic”). In ler euew ofthe 1987 fila Orphans (hich canarns ganster no Ions tow homeless yong ose), rite Rita Kenpley said, “Nat sins Seley Winters sank with te Poseidon baie we sen such sions." + deprecate (deprecating) To dpe something (an accomplishment, for exann ple) is to minimize ito make it scm lve important). Bonne be die? want sem once, br depres brim by saying, "Oh suck, mas mln,” Note: The word Con leo mem “ta express dnmpproval of (eomething” Ale « sland se ‘non Eloy Clay (1777-1832) prea lary asin © alteuistic (alteuistically) If you'se aliwic, you'se unselfishly concemed for the welfice of others; you're generous, chastable. The noun is alm. An altruistic person is called an allt The Marshall Plan (alto known asthe Europeas Rewrvy) Pro- ram), which channced ove $13 bilion to nance th economic reoery of Ere been 1948 ‘and 1951, was sen by mst strians as a nprsentation of Arwerican alla, 0Scarecrow that no repayment was expected, and with thar the bird wished them luck and flew off. nChapter 8 “The Poppies” As they all walked further upstream, they heard the dulcet' songs of birds and the gentle plash? of the river waves as they lapped? the shoreline. Their eyes were drawn by brilliantly colored flowers that dotted the bucolic! landscape. Yellow, white, blue, and purple ones were scattered about, but it was the geeat clusters of brilliant, scarlet poppies that dazzled Dorothy's eyes. The further they walked, the thicker the flowers became, until they formed a carpet beneath their feet As they continued walking, all the while breathing in the spicy scent of the Rowers, they began to notice a plethora® of red poppies duleet A sound that's dels! is pleasing to the car, is appealing, soothing, of melodious. Examining the jis to the song °Tho Sound of Masi." we and seeral images of duet sda chars chime fing om a bez, brook: kung, amd Lark singing whe learn ‘ng pray (lag we seriously danbied that lars arm how tray) > plash plavis light (gentle, smal) splash (of water) [¢ ean also mean the sound ‘ofa light splash. Thai ifm fitch dark, we imem ee were prowling the fountain by it dotnet, petitive plas, ‘lap (lapped) When water dps something, it washes or slaps against it with soft splashing sounds, The maves lad the side of he dock, “bucolic Land that’s lucas is rustic or marl t's out in the country. As edenced Dy ‘is most famous work, ‘The Blue Boy, British painter Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) fen et the subject of bis prt bcc kandlcgpes, ® nearlet Scr is x color, it’s bright ced or reddish orange. Ina famous noel by Na ‘have! Hawthorne (1804-1864), a wonman who cnomits adr is fore to wear a scark hier A on hr dros a. syibl of hr guile © plethora A pletion: (of something) is either a lagge amount or an oversbundance (of), Note: im pronunciation, the accent is on the fist syllable (PLETHLo:70}. The Large murabor of Dry Crockert bs that appared in the oid 1800s wae nothing cmepaed i ‘he pehora of Day Coot! merchandise tha appeared the 1950, R(OCABULAR’ and a paucity? of the other blossoms. Soon they found themselves in the center of a vast meadow of poppies. Now, nearly everyone knows that when you have great numbers of poppies, their fragrance is so potent? that anyone who breathes it fills asleep. And if the sleeper isn’t carsied away feom the eloyings perfume, he'l sleep on forever! But Dorothy didn’t know this, and soon the somniferoust effect Of the poppies caused her eyes to grow heavy, and she announced that she must lie down, But the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, who, not being human, were unaffected by the poppies, wouldn't permit this, They took the somnolent® litle gicl by the arms and paucity A fuucty (oF something) is a seullaess or insufficiency of umber of smnowat (of it) a sacsty, Lx Davee 1983 jurmalst Waren Brn pared that “git of ‘he 13 psoplewho work atthe Cine or Auta Saft) dan’ ow cr and that the Cees dr tor ai the pay ofr flit th pasty fp.” ® potent Something tha’ pote is strong; it has power; it's capable of producing of eferting a strong effect of influence, for sie (9th Amendment granentd waiver the li ots, Cane Chapman Catt tnd of the League of Waren Waters) sug rahe ‘omen otra potent ain nation pot loy (cloying) Something that cy (oe that’s yin), starts out as sweet oF pleasant Goch as 2 taste, smell, or sentimen!), but becomes unpleasant or even disgusting ‘when too auch (oF) has been supplied Ime knew law cing iets could be wall 1 fest moved tof paren bone ad made a meal of 12 cca dons ad to rot br * somniferous Something soweinur (a drug or a boring speech, for example) makes you feel sleepy it induces sloep ot drowsiness. I ner sndrtad the pain! of ‘inking Ish cof (amit of rocemed ba fee and Trish whacky) afr all. on’ the ‘antifions it of te whch and the arog of ofthe af ancl each threat? ® wommnolent This word, when used to describe 4 person or thing, meats “sleepy” fo “drowsy,” usin te somolet tl whe stayed ap past ber tute oF the sore! hile South torn The word can alto be used (hough not as often) to describe tome: thing (a drug or hot weather, for example) thar causes you to fed sleepy, a snot repical ar. Eom tr enmingt at omelet publ of any £8 poop Lae Angel as Boe bit international rcp Bw voc goaded! her along, lest she suecumb? once and for all to the insidi- ous? spell of the flowers. With her fiends supporting her by the arms, Dorothy somnambulated' awhile But then her lifeless form suddenly collapsed to the ground. “What shall we do?” asked the Tin Woodman, ruefully$ gazing at the pathetic, prostrate’ figure at their feet. "goad (goaded) Technically,» gu! is « long, pointed stick used for prodding ani- mals. But when you gaa! someone (into doing something) you strongly urge, prod, prompt, or deive him. In a famous play by Shakespeare, Scotish nobleman Macbeth, misled dy the predictions of tree witches and goaded on by bis wife sexys the thre by murdering las usin, Kong Duncan 2 succumb ‘To suaob wo something, (usually an overpowering force or desire) is to _give in to it, yield to it, Often there's an implication of helplessness on the pat of the ome wher wens, In bs last fl, actor John Wayne played an axing gunfhter ding of ancy, am les the acto Mrs see tha ater, ious If something is snvidiony, i's in some way harmful, but it works (or spreads, proceeds, operates, etc) in a subtle of inconspicous manner, it sneaks up fon you, 80 to speak, Syphilis, shi oars in four stages, isa paticalary insidious disease the ‘genplan of the fst tee sags een when Uf watrate, are either mild or non-existent at in ine fal sags th dent a cane Dla, defers, pant ital * somnambulate (somnambulated) To sornsmbulat is to sleepwalk. ‘The word derives from the Latin words for “sleep” (sommnus) and “walk” (ambullatus). [a aur forte spiade of the 1950s TV’ sents The Honeymooners, Ralph belived thas Norton ‘sanomarmbulted boca be as searching fo bic lat dg, Lal * rueful When something (4 look, expression, ete) is mf it shows or expresses sorcow oF pity. When 4 person is raf, he feels or shows sorrow or pity. Sometimes you'll sce the phase “rueful smile,” which seems conteadictory but zefers to a smile that somehow expresses sorrow, pity, or remorse, Asonding fam arts in Timne maga ine, “paperbac Books), a older colts hase gully discovered fade an fall apart oven mare apy than oh aren.” © prostrate If someone is pravrae, he's Iyiag down fla, at full length, as om the ground, \ condition of physical incapacity is sometimes implied, Some people use the word 10 mean “Tying fla, fice down’ others use it to mean simply “Iying fla” acing cither way). The word is wiually used to deserve people but ean also de- serie objects, as in prsinze tees Don't confuse this word with “prostate,” which is gland (near the bladder) in males. No mater ow many times I vit Manhattan, U can’t gt used tthe sig of lone people prostrate om the sdenal. "4The Lion’s energy, too, was now seriously beginning to ebb. At best he would cemain ambulatory? for only a few minutes more. And poor Toro was already deeply asleep. “Run fast,” said the Scarecrow to the Lion. “Get out of the poppy field as fast as you can. If you fall asleep here you'll die. We can carry Dorothy and Toto, but you're too big to carry.” So with great determination of will, and despite a nearly incapacitating torpor’, the great beast somehow managed to shore* himself up; he hounded forward and was soon out of sight Now the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman picked up Toro and placed him in Dorothy’s lap. They crisscrossed their hands to form a 4 ebb When something eb, it declines, ecedes, of fades away; it becomes less. The phiase “ebb tide” refers to the receding or outgoing (ocean) tide. The phrase “ebb and flow” refers to altemating periods of decrease and increase (af something), a in ‘tw ob and flow ofthe economy. As a noun, an ebb is alow point. Colimaist Are Buchwald once obserred, “Everytime you Wink eleiion has it its mest ebb, a nev program cows along to make you wondhr shee ye thanght the eb was.” ambulatory If you've amlulaioy, you're capable of walking (as opposed 10, say, being hednddlen or in « wheelelair). An snstituton that proves medi diagnosis und ‘meatment for ambulatory pant js usualy called a “dine nt "bospical™ > torpor A state of physical (or mental) inactivity, incrtacss, o* shiggishacss is knowa as torpor The word can tefer to a state of suspended animation, ike hiberna- tiou, but more often it merely suggests a state of physical shiggishness (usually with ‘a implication of accompanying indifference). The adjective 1s dopid. In the dayton Iumingbirds can be seo darting throngh the air at 69 ries an hour, or boring with ther sings Dvatng 75 times per econ maybe that's why at wiht thy lapse int sate of trpor! “shore As a noun, « sort (in addition to being land along the edge of « body of water) is « post (or beam) propped against a structure to provide support. As a verb, to Wor (up) is to give (added) support (Wo something) as if with « slur, So when you “shore yourself vp,” you pull yourself together and give yourself strength (in preparation for some crisis, battle, or other trying or difficult situation), Mane Antoinete's mariage to Lonis XVI, made ont to shore ap France's tes with Asia (bere she vas arn), was not consuromated for Sve years. BDol voc. seat, and with a deep sense of puspose, they steadfastly! cacried the sleeping, child between them through the flowers’ ious? fames. They walked on and on, following the river upstream, and it seemed as if the great carpet of poppies would never end. Finally they came upon the Lion, lying asleep among the baneful® flowers He had at last given up, only a short distance from the end of the flowerbed. Beautiful, green meadows loomeds just beyond ‘The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman looked down at the sleep- ing beast and knew at once thece was nothing, they could do for him. With wretched anguish they agreed that they would have to leave him to sleep on forever, for he was much too massive to lift. They both now tried to think of some felicitous’, epitaphic! remarks to make sweet but nox- "steadfast (steadfastly) If you're sani (about something, wich asa loyalty, prin: ciple, purpose, conviction, oF course of action), you're firm, fixed, steady, oF unwav- ering (about it), soning to the Bible, a man named Job seat pried God, even when all is possessions were destrayd, scien mer kd, and bis body Duce coves with sores. noxious If something (a fume, odor, etc) is waxiaw, it’s bad for your health; it ‘causes you harm it makes you sick, asin asians chemical wart Similarly, a concept Gidea, plan, etc) described ae sasione is mocally harmful. Tag) we didn’? know sy ‘nuh abut sinc, we astm tha he Blac emake ea song nt ofa tra’ chat pipe sas mass —orat ast more mss than wlite sake would have been haneful Something Mangfulis poisonous, destructive, or exceedingly harmful it ean cause death, sickness, or niin, (The noun bane refers fo « deadly poison of to some- thing that causes death, destruction, of min.) Usage note: While the word bali is used to describe something that foreshadows hacmn ox evil (a bali atmasphen), bane {ils used to describe something that actully causes harm or destruction. Sometimes ‘ow know right aay fa plant haf because i ately contains the ward ase a part af its ‘name; for esampl mofibane, + Joom (loomed) When something (especially vomething massive or indistinct) ‘oars (nto view), it becomes visible or rises before you, We termed the corner at 34th Sire, ad th Eire State Builtig aeddeny homed before ws, 5 felicitous Something jifstoe is fining and appropriate; it’s well suited (for the ‘ceasion). Iv his exdigy for George Washingon, soldier and pobtial kader Fle Le fli tously described ar fst President as “Pin war, frst in pace, and ist inthe bars of bs ‘vantrymen.” 6THE WIZARD OF OZ VOCABULARY BUILDER but were unable to. Dolefully?, the bereft’ but stalwart# pair walked on until they reached a pretty spot next to the river, fur enough away from the flowerbed to prevent any more of the deleterious vapors from affecting their insensate® passenger. Here they lay Dorothy down on the soft geass and patiently waited for the cool, fresh aie to revive her. + epitaph (epitaphic) An yilgph is « commemorative phrase insenbed on a tomb- stone, It eam also be « short piece of writing (aot on a tombstone) that praises someone who died. Jn 1986 bleed actor Paul Newman imagined what bis oom epitaph ‘mig say: “Here Bs Paul Newsman, wha ced a fire bese Bi gs turned brown.” ° doleful (dolefully) If you're dol, you're sovrowful or mournful. The implication is that you'te also gloomy. Beauue of itt doll cull the tartledne ic sametioes called a “maurning dove.” > bereft As an adjective, this woud uatally means “suffering the death of a loved 3 im bef parents eying oer the fis of tir daughter; but it sometimes simply ‘means “deprived (of something),” asin fare? of hr day. As a verb, the word (also Jumased) is the past tense of bras, which means “to depnve (especially by death)” fin adem ar tate Drs there of tir father In 884, afer bis wie amd moter died sithin a fn ors of ach other, a berg Teddy Rooseeltemparanly retired to his munch in the Dakota tory. 4 stalwart If you're both strong (physically or morally) and determined (unwaver- ingly fixed in purpose), you're dalvart. As a noun, a salvar isa strong supporter (oF some organization or cause), as in Republican Party alanis With she nlp of Annie Sula, ber stuart companion and teacher, Helin Keller (uha'd lot ber sight and boaring at ‘ie age of 19 months) mas graduated from Radclie Collage with honor 5 deleterious If something is detrins, its harmful (oswally to your health or your bods). Lm sence las we hard tat our jmp node are tle reercirs tha alt bacteria and otter deerious agents and proven the frm entering aur blood. © insensate If you're inate, you lick sensation; you're unaware oF unconscious ‘The word ean also mean “lacking sensitivity or feeling.” as in an invesate socey. In a fara fry ta te aserateShpig Becty i aakened by a prin ki 1THE WIZARD OF OZ VOCABULARY BUILDER Chapter 9 “The Mice” As they waited for Dorothy to awaken, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were suddenly startled by the sound of a low growl, Run- ning toward them at breakneck! speed was a large, tawny? wildcat It must be chasing something, reasoned the Tin Woodman, because its eats were flat against its head, its mouth was slaverings, and its eyes glowed liked fireballs. As the cat came near, the Tin Woodman saw that before the feral feline’, running for its life, was a tiny mouse. Now, even though the ‘Tin Woodman had no heart, he knew it was wrong for the wildcat to 1 breakneck To move at bmakni speed is to move dangerously East. In hindsight, it seemed somow irons that sat bad fred the driver to race toward the enwmency roam at raalenck spend asthe nator of the patients gi —a broken mech! 2 tawny Tavis a colos; it's yellowish-beown. Th well uown child's story Tawny Seenwny Lion i about linn 3's yelinisbbraw (ike mast Kons) and okiony (unibe orst iors 8 slaver (slavering) ‘To sla (pronounced so that the frst syllable rhymes with ‘asd, is t0 have saliva drooling from your mouth. If sony fr Paros dogs who, at the nd eof the fara experiment, board bell ring eves sen they wero’ fd Tc just pctre thom shavring in eager anticipation, thn confused, diappained, and miserable “feral To desesibe something (a facial expression, for example) as fowis to say that it's suggestive of a wild animal (that is, is ferocious, brutal, savage, etc). A feral pant of animal is one that exists in ts natural or wild state (that is, is not cultivated for domesticated). Fst brught 1 she Now World by 16tIscomtny Spanish explores, mus- tang are sal feral bass ofthe Armercan Wert 5 feline As an adjective, jose means “helonging or pertaining to the eat family (which includes domestic eats, lions, tigers, etc)” of “eatlike.” As a noun, «feline is fin animal of the cat family. Ir 1986 cxthor Erica Jong. speaking of Venice, sed, “The ‘tones themseles are thick with bor, ana thee eas that dash thru the allay rast sey ‘eth ght ofthe famosa i fle dig.” 8w voc. Kill such a harmless creature, With his finely honed? axe, he found himself in a perfect position to mete? out a little justice. Just as the odious? brute can by, the ‘Tin Woodman lifted his blade, and with one sharp, perfectly aimed blow, cleanly decapitated! him Now that the mouse was safe, it stopped short, turned around, and walked slowly back to the Tin Woodman. “Thank you for saving my life,” it said in a high, squeaky voice. “Because T have no heart,” the Tin Woodman explained, “T must always be extra careful to help all those in need, even if they are only mice The mouse bristled’ and said, “Only micel Why, I am the Queen—the Queen of all the micel” “hone (honed) When you /ne something (9 knife, for instance), you sharpen it Sometimes the word is used to mean “shagpen” in the sense of making something ose perfect, as in be boned bes shi, Theatrical agent Robert Kats one tld a group of ator ‘ax 10 bone ter alent, bono market thir talent, eat disiplneUir dent, and bo fo pe ‘sir alent thn be tld thm they might a well ge abv tant mete When you mele oe? something (wsually punishment of justice) you administer it; you distabute ox allo it.I’ 1 fumiton of ajuda to rte ont a punisbrnt tha ite rhe ie; knowing that, we dh’! omy aoceer had to decile the fate of te Mets fam wa tried to ‘pr is tears on by paractuing into Sea Stadium daring thx sec game ofthe 1986 World Series. » odious Someone (or something) odious arouses or deserves intense dislike or ha- tied; he (or if) is detestable, hateful, repellent, offeasive, objectionable, ete, The noun is adem (sate oF quality of being adiou). Harriet Becher Stae's pre-Cinl War novel Uncle ‘Tom's Cabin shocked many nartharners inte a hatred for Ue adios insiaton of avy. < decapitate (decapitated) To dcypitate someone is to cut off his head. Not many people os tat the guiloting, a raachine shat uses a lage, Ioay, fang blade to dsqpitare ‘pele, as devised bya hunmasitarian French doctor—Joseph Guilin (1758=1814), 5 brriede (bristled) When someone frivéls, he reacts in an angry, iritated, of of fended manner (as if his hair were standing or rising stiffly, lke the bristles om a Ibeush), Tt sumed t0 as that daring the telerved Hearings (1991) of Bis appainament 10 the Suc _preme Cont, Clarence Thomas sem brsthd wherever Anica Hil's accusation of sexual ba ‘ase was mentioned DpWith sincere reverence!, the Tin Woodman bowed and humbly? said, “Yes, Youc Majesty.” “You have done a great and brave thing in saving my life,” the Queen said. And as she said this, many other mice came cunning, up. Without leaving out the lurid? details, the Queen told them how the Tin Woodman had saved her life, and they all listened with morbid fascination. Then, in an imperious* tone, she instructed her min- ions’ to forever after serve the Tin Woodman and obey his slightest 1 reverence Reierone is a feeling of deep cespect (for someone or something), The implication is that feelings of awe or devotion are intermingled with that respect, As ‘verb, to rer means “to respect deeply.” Tn (985 Palizr Prige-winningaullor James Michener complained, “Russa, France, Germany, and China —they rere tir iter: America Asti a frontier entry tha abmast udder at the ida of creative expresion." © humble (humbly) Acting of being Jumble the opposite of acting like you're « big shot, You'se modest, unassuming, even perhaps a bit lowly or meek. The noun is luni (state oF quality of being Himba). Tae word can also mean “low in sank, position, or quality,” asin luahie origins. Noting that many hight competent pasple were aig annupingy arregan or concited, se died that tobe ray aces one needed to coin ‘anton ith Inert ® lurid Something Jerid is shockingly sensational (or gruesome, ghastly, or horsible) ‘The word is usually used to describe accounts, asin a deri account of the murder, Periodicals, asin fanid ypermarket tabloids. Just by Ioking at the names of some of thse 1930s pulp nptery magazims, such as Stange Detective Mysteries, Thailling Mystery, sand Black Mask, ken they mould be fel of bred acu of ghasty enimes. * morbid When you say someone has a morhid interest in something (usually in death, disease, or anything gruesome or ghastly), it means he has an unwholesomely ‘gloomy, ovedy sensitive interest init. Magy of Aled Hichac' fils explore the mar and macabre elements of buman emotion 5 imperious Someone who's inpeiow is bowsy in the way « cules, who's aceus- tomed to commanding, might be); he’s arrogantly domineering, overbearing, dicta- otal, Wo adh’ agree aith abat she sad, bat bor impeias tome rad out any possibly of agement © minion (minions) \ siniw is a servile follower or subordinate (of « person in power). [nthe 1971 Sharon Tate murder tial, Charts Manson and his minions spent much of he tive sitng wi Hr acs othe jue 80w voc wish! In giving obeisancet to the Queen, the tiny subjects howed so low that they appeared to be standing on thei heads! “Is there anything we can do to repay you for saving our Queen?” one of the bigger mice deferentially2 asked the Tin Woodman. “Nothing thar I can think of,” he answered. But the Scarecrow, who was trying to think but couldn't because he had no brain, said, “Yes. You can save our friend the Lion who is asleep in the poppy field.” And when the mice heard the word “Lion,” theie litde bodies convulsed apoplectically® and their fices turned ashen “L-L-L-Lion?” they all stammered, quavering® with fear. The Scarecrow made a quelling! motion and said, “This Lion is a 1 obeisance A movement or gesture of the body that shows courteous respect or homage ((o superior) is known as obitane (pronounced obBAY sins). Ligendary Sits archer and hero William Tell wat forced to shoot an apple of his on's bad ax parchment _for eftsing to sve obvicace (by bowing toa ha) fo an Ausiran official ® deference (deferentially) Whea you coueteously yield of submit to someone cli’s wishes, opinion, judgment, wil, ctc, you're showing dierent (ou're being ‘ferential. Although be considered it ammecsary us, in dren ois editor be changed “be” 10 “he or she" throwghost the book. » apoplectic (apoplectically) papiey is « medical condition marked by a sudden loss of bodily function (4s from a stroke), The word is also used to mean “a eudden, fit (oF anger or sage)”. If you're afypeti, you act as if you have apypleg—you have a Sit. Her marmalfy ui backeIushand’ brcame apopltic aban sh told bre si'd spent $700 on fancy rare: “ashen Something ashen is the color of ashes: geasish-white. If you say that some- one’s face is asien, you mean that its very pale or desined of color. fer se fdeifed ‘the body, she tare toward er fae ashen and everorangit 5 quaver (quavering) When something (usually your voice or body) quater, it shakes or trembles (as from fear, nervousness, of weakness). Note: The word can also be applied to birdcall that till and quiver Dr Jypes of mining the puble speaking ‘test, she rebeared er speach over and over; them when the big might cae, her Popes were dashed ay an ancontollablequavering ber oc. su