Vocabulary Unit 1

Approbation (n): praise, approval

My teacher smiled with approbation when I showed her I had finished my homework on time.

NOTE: Approbation is often preceded by a preposition. i.e. with approbation, of approbation, in approbation.

Assuage (v): to make easier, relieve, quiet or calm. To put an end to.

You cannot assuage your guilty conscience unless you are really sorry for what you said.

If you want to assuage her grief, be kind to her.

Coalition (n): a combination, union or merger for some specific purpose

The students formed a coalition to try and convince the school administration to let them dress like rabbits.

Decadence (n): decline; decary or deterioration; a condition or period of

decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence

Oscar Wilde's novel, A Portrait of Dorian Grey, is widely recognized as a portrayal of turn-of-the-century decadence in Victorian England.

To eat that chocolate cake all by yourself is pure decadence.

Alternate forms: decadent (adj), decadently (adv)

Elicit (v): to draw forth, bring out from some source

Her sad story elicited many expressions of condolence.

I tried to elicit information from the new student, but he could not understand me.

Expostulate (v): to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

I expostulated with her all day, but she is set on going to that awful movie.

Hackneyed (adj): used so often as to lack freshness or originality

Many common sayings become hackneyed when we say them too often

There is nothing new under the sun; politicians just keep repeating the same hackneyed promises with no intention of doing anything new.

Hiatus (n): a gap, opening, break(in the sense of an element missing)

My favorite TV shows are all on hiatus and there are no new episodes to watch.

The hiatus in construction noise told me something was wrong.

Innuendo (n): a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory or inappropriate sense)

She did not welcome his constant innuendo because it offended her.

The competition's innuendo that the team cheated was not good sportsmanship.

Intercede (v): to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party

or go-between in a disagreement When the two friends started fighting so badly, he

interceded before they could hurt each other's feelings any worse.

Intercession (n): the act of interceding Intercedent (n): one who intercedes.

Jaded (adj): wearied, worn out, dulled

By the time she was made vice-president of the company, she was a jaded and cynical woman.

Lurid (adj): causing shock, horror, or revulsion

The lurid display of sex and violence in the movie trailer made me decide never to go see it.

Meritorious (adj): worthy of praise

Her work with the orphans earned her much approbation from the general public and an award for meritorious service to the community.

Petulant (adj): peevish, easily irritated and upset

Her petulant behavior makes her difficult to like.

Petulance (n): the act of being petulant

Prerogative (n): a special right or privilege; a special quality showing

excellence It is not your prerogative as a student to come to

class late.

Provincial (adj): an outlying area; perception of being limited or old-fashioned

(n): a person with a narrow point of view; someone who comes from an outlying area

Until everyone realized how smart he was, he was dismissed as being a provincial nobody.

Her provincial upbringing makes her just a little annoying to be around because she refuses to change her ways even a little.

Simulate (v): to make a pretense of, imitate

The computer game The Sims is a simulation of human life.

Actors can simulate emotions they don't really feel.

Transcend (v) to rise above or beyond, to exceed

The student transcended all expectations for her success.

A work of art can transcend time.

Transcendence (n) Transcendental (adj)

Umbrage (n): shade cast by trees; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

She had to be careful of what she said for fear they might take umbrage and walk away.

Unctuous (adj): excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to given an

impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety

His unctuous praise just made me feel dirty. Politicians make unctuous promises to get elected.