american lit honors vocabulary unit 1. provincial

American Lit Honors

Vocabulary Unit 1

PROVINCIAL

JADED

APPROBATION

TRANSCEND

“Nice store you got there. Would be a real shame if something happened to it.”

INNUENDO

ELICIT

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In lieu of Hershey's syrup and a maraschino cherry, this sundae is drizzled with one of the world's most expensive chocolates, from Amedei Porcelana, and then adorned with candied fruits, gold covered almonds, chocolate truffles and marzipan cherries.

The dish also features a dollop of sweet Grande Passion caviar served with a mother of pearl spoon and a gilded sugar flower. The whole shebang looks as good as it tastes, served in a Baccarat crystal goblet (yours to keep) with an 18-carat gold spoon (not included).

DECADENCE

HACKNEYED

HIATUS

SIMULATE

LURID

INTERCEDE

ASSUAGE

UNCTUOUS

COALITION

UMBRAGE

MERITORIOUS

EXPOSTULATE

PREROGATIVE

PETULANT

approbation

n. the expression of approval or praise

syn. approval,Commendation, sanction

ant. disapproval, censure

Origin—1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin approbātiōn- (stem of approbātiō ).

Saban gives his team another sign of approbation as they win the National Title.

assuagev. to make easier or milder, to

calm or to quench, to appease or satisfy

syn. mitigate, alleviate

ant. Intensify, aggravate, exacerbate• 1250–1300; Middle English

aswagen < Old French asouagier < Vulgar Latin *assuāviāre, equivalent to Latin as- as- + -suāviāre, verbal derivative of Latin suāvis agreeable to the taste, pleasant ( compare suave; akin to sweet)

Granny can

assuage your hunger with a homemade Jimmy Dean sausage and biscuit..ANAGRAM

coalitionn. a combination, union or merger

syn. alliance, league,

ant. splinter group

• 1605–15; < Latin coalitiōn- (stem of coalitiō ), equivalent to coalit ( us ), past participle of coalēscere ( co-+ ali-, past participle stem of alere to nourish + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn

The United States created a strong coalition that defeated Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War.

decadence n. decline and decay; a period of decline and decay; excessive self indulgence syn. Degeneration

ant. rise, growth, development

SENTENCESome musicians may experience a time of

decadence if they only produce a one-hit wonder.

1540–50; < Middle French < Medieval Latin dēcadentia, equivalent to Late Latin dēcadent- (stem of dēcadēns ), present participle of dēcadere to fall away ( de- + cad ( ere ) to fall + -ent-) + -ia noun suffix;

elicitv. to draw forth or to bring out from

some source

syn. Call forth, evoke, extract,Educe

ant. Repress, quash, stifle

SENTENCE

A teacher’s question may elicit several responses from the class.

1635–45; < Latin ēlicitus drawn out (past participle of ēlicere ), equivalent to ē- e- + lici- draw, lure + -tus past participle suffix

expostulatev. to attempt to dissuadesomeone from course or decision by earnest reasoning

syn. Protest, remonstrate, complain

ORIGIN—1525–35; < Latin expostulātus demanded urgently, required (past participle of expostulāre ). Postulate—To demand Though it was a scorching 98 degrees outside, Bernie

dressed in the chicken outfit in an attempt to

expostulate eating fast food.

hackneyedadj. Used so often as to lack

freshness or originality

syn. banal, trite, common place, corny

ant. new, fresh, novel, original

• Origin: 1740–50; hackney + -ed2

“to be honest”“actually”“don’t just talk the talk; you got to walk the walk”“when I get around to it”“the fact of the matter is”“in conclusion”“first of all”

Mrs. League said I must “hack”

away the hackneyed phrases in my essay if I expected to earn an A.

hiatusn. a gap, an opening, or a break

syn. pause, lacuna

ant. continuity, continuation

ORIGIN 1555–65; < Latin hiātus opening, gap, equivalent to hiā ( re ) to gape, open + -tus suffix of v. action

Joe’s doctor informed him that he would need

to take a hiatus from table tennis for about ten weeks since he broke his arm while trying to carry his girlfriend’s purse.

innuendon. A hint or indirect suggestion or

reference (often in a derogatory sense)

syn. Insinuation or intimation

ant. direct statement

ORIGIN—1555–65; < Latin: a hint, literally, by signaling, ablative of innuendum, gerund of innuere to signal, equivalent to in- in-2 + nuere to nod

The gangster’s innuendo, “Nice store you got there. Would be a real shame if something happened to it,” made me cringe.

intercede

v. To plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement

syn. intervene, mediate

1570–80; < Latin intercēdere.

Since Hailey and Casey could not get a long, my brother-in-law decided to intercede and tape the two of them together!

jadedAdj. wearied, worn-out, dulled

syn. Sated, surfeited, cloyedant. Unspoiled, uncloyed

• Origin: 1585–95; jade2 + -ed2

The jaded Aerosmith fan had seen the show fifty times.

luridadj. causing shock, horror, or

revulsion; pale in color; lack of restraint

syn. gruesome, gory, grisly, ghastly

ant. pleasant, attractive, appealing, wholesome

Origin: 1650–60; < Latin lūridus sallow, ghastly

The clown’s lurid appearance frightened Jesse so much that he could not sleep alone at night for three solid days.

meritoriousadj. worthy, deserving

recognition, or praise

syn. praiseworthy, laudable, commendable

ant. blameworthy, reprehensible, discreditable

ORIGIN—1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin meritōrius on hire.

In recognition of all hermeritorious efforts in the reliefwork, Dresden received acertificate.

petulant

adj. peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

syn. Irritable, testy, waspish

ant. even-tempered, placid, serene, amiable

ORIGIN:1590–1600; < Latin petulant- (stem of petulāns ) impudent, akin to petere to seek, head for

Acting like a petulanttortoise, Tommy decided to crawl home rather thanmake amends with the red

globidydook.

prerogativen. a special right or privilege; a special quality

showing excellence

syn. perk, perquisite

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin praerogātīvus (adj.) voting first, praerogātīva (noun use of feminine of adj.) tribe or century with right to vote first.

Brittany Spears thinks she has a

prerogative to change her mindabout going on tour, despite the factthat thousands of fans have alreadybought their tickets.

provincialadj. pertaining to an outlying area, local,

narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward

n. A person with a narrow point of view

syn. narrow-minded, parochial, insular, naïve

Ant. cosmopolitan, broad-minded

1300–50; Middle English (noun and adj.) < Latin prōvinciālis.

The Puritans cast their provincial eyes on Hester Prynne as she tightly holds Pearl.

simulatev. to make a pretense of; to

imitate, to show the outer signs of

syn. feign, pretend, affect

Origin: 1400–50; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin simulātus (past participle of simulāre ), equivalent to simul- (variant of simil-, base of similis similar) + -ātus -ate1

The video game SIMS simulates real life. Even the settings are realistic!

transcendv. to rise above or beyond; exceed

syn. surpass, outstrip

ORIGIN—1300–50; Middle English < Latin trānscendere to surmount, equivalent to trāns- trans- + -scendere, combining form of scandere to climb

Sister Madonna Buder transcended everyone’s

expectations. As the oldest triathlete, SisterMadonna has competed in more than 300 racesand is 78 years young!

umbrage

n. shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

syn. irritation, pique, annoyanceant. Pleasure, delight, satisfaction

1400–50; late Middle English < Old French; see umbra (shadow) –age (quality of)

One of my fondest childhood memories is when all of my family would gather underneath the umbrage of a Mimosa tree to shell peas and listen to my grandparents’ storytelling.

unctuousadj. excessively smooth or smug; trying

too and to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity or piety; fatty, oily, pliable

syn. mealymouthed, servile, fawning, greasy

ant. Gruff, blunt1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus, equivalent to Latin ūnctu ( s ) act of anointing ( ung ( uere ) to smear, anoint + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ōsus -ous

Being naïve, I looked past his

unctuous behavior and said yes when he asked me out.