Vocabulary #16

English 2 Vocab List 16

1. anonymity; noun- condition of being nameless or unknown. Some philanthropists crave the spotlight, but Edith preferred anonymity for her altruism.

2.  antagonism; noun - hostility, active opposition.  Teenagers sometimes show antagonism toward parental suggestions that they clean up their rooms.

3. coalesce; verb- to grow together; to combine. If the competing groups could coalesce, they would control the election.

4.  colloquial; adjective - conversational; used in a informal speech or writing.  Jeremy was chastised by his English teacher for his colloquial compositions.

5. diminution; noun- a lessening. The diminution in nightly air raids was welcomed by the Londoners.

6.  discerning; adjective  - keenly perceptive shrewd.  When it came to selecting the correct investments, Paul was quite discerning.

7. eulogy; noun- high praise for a deceased person. When Reverend Foster delivered the eulogy, he embellished it with a few questionable stories.

8.  euphemism; noun - use of an indirect expression in place of one that is harsh.  Since I didn't want to hurt Debby's feelings, I searched for an appropriate euphemism.

9.  indigent; adjective - poverty stricken. Every Thanksgiving, the despot publicized his gift of turkeys to indigent families.

10.  placid; adjective - outwardly calm or composed; self satisfied; peaceful.  The medication made the hyperactive child not only placid but almost catatonic.

11.  repugnant; adjective - disgusting; loathsome; objectionable; incompatible.  Bigotry is repugnant to the tradition of our nation.

12.  sequester; verb - to hide or keep away from others; to withdraw into seclusion; to confiscate; to segregate. With no verdict in sight, the judge issued the order to sequester the jury for the night.

13.  terse; adjective - using only a few words but clear to the point; polished.  The terse statement read by the secretary of state was tantamount to the  rejection of the treaty.

14.  untenable; adjective - that which cannot be maintained or occupied ; incapable of being defended or held.  The lack of heat and hot water made the apartment untenable.

15.  virtuoso ; noun - one interested in the pursuit of knowledge; one with mastery skill or technique in any field. Even at an early age Carico showed the promise that would one day blossom into the talents of a piano virtuoso.