WHITMAN VOCABPatsy HambyAmLit/Comp

Whitman Vocab• 1. abeyance-n. • 2. beseech-v. • 3. designedly-adv. • 4. disposition-n. • 5. effuse-v. • 6. egress-n. • 7. entreaty-n. • 8. expostulation n. • 9. gaunt-adj. • 10. knoll-n.

• 11. mystical-adj. • 12. nonchalant-adj. • 13. palpable-adj. • 14. parley-n. • 15. robust-adj.• 16. ruthless-adj. • 17. solemn-adj. • 18. speculator-n. • 19. suffice-v. • 20. varied-adj. •  

1. abeyance n.• A. state of being undecided• B. obedience• 1520s, from Anglo-Fr. abeiance "suspension," also

"expectation (especially in a lawsuit)," from O.Fr. abeance "aspiration, desire,“

• Ans: A.

2. beseech v.• To beg

• late 12c., bisecen "to beseech, beg urgently," from be- + M.E. secen "to seek"

3. designedly adv.• A. on purpose• B. according to current fashion• 1540s, from L. designare "mark out, devise, choose,

designate, appoint," from de- "out" + signare "to mark," from signum "a mark, sign“+ -ly O.E. -lic, from P.Gmc. *-liko- (cf. O.Fris. related to *likom- "appearance, form“

• Ans: A on purpose; intentionally

4. disposition n.• attitude

• late 14c., "tendency of mind," from O.Fr. disposicion (12c.) "arrangement, order; mood, state of mind"

5. effuse v.• A. to enter• B. to pour out

• late 14c., from L. effusus, pp. of effundere "to pour forth“

• Ans: B to pour out; to spew

6. egress n. • an exit

• 1530s, from L. egressus "a going out," lit. pp. of egredi "go out," from ex- "out" + -gredi,- "step, go"

7. entreaty n.• A. a request• B. an agreement

• mid-15c., Fr. "treatment, negotiation;" see entreat + -y (1). Meaning "earnest request" is from 1570s.

• Ans: A a request; a plea

8. expostulation n.• A. a pose , as for a photograph• B. an objection

• 1530s, "to demand, to claim," from L. expostulatus, pp. of expostulare "to demand urgently, remonstrate," from ex- "from" + postulare "to demand"

• Ans: B • expostulation – n. an objection; an attempt to change someone’s

mind

9. gaunt adj. • excessively thin

• mid-15c. (as a surname from mid-13c.), from M.Fr. gant, of uncertain origin; perhaps from a Scandinavian source (cf. O.N. gand "a thin stick," also "a tall thin man")

10. knoll n.• A. bread• B. a small hill

• O.E. cnoll "hilltop, small hill, clod, ball," related to O.N. knollr "hilltop;" Ger. knolle "clod, lump;"

• Ans: B. a small, round hill

11. mystical adj.• having a spiritual meaning

• late 14c., "spiritually allegorical, pertaining to mysteries of faith," from O.Fr. mistique, from L. mysticus, from Gk. mystikos "secret, mystic"

12. nonchalant adj.• A. brave• B. indifferent

• 1670s, from Fr. nonchalant, "be indifferent to, have no concern for" (13c.), from non- "not" + chaloir "have concern for“

• Ans: B. indifferent; showing lack of interest

13. palpable adj.• able to be touched or felt

• late 14c., from L. palpare "touch gently, stroke"

14. parley n. • A. meeting• B. dramatization

• "conference," especially with an enemy, mid-15c., from M.Fr. parler "to speak," from L.L. parabolare "to speak (in parables)“

• Ans: A. a conference between enemies to discuss a truce

15. robust adj.• having good health and strength

• 1540s, from L. robustus "strong and hardy," originally "oaken," from robur, robus "hard timber, strength," also "a special kind of oak," named for its reddish heartwood, from L. ruber "red"

16. ruthless adj.• A. cruel• B. determined

• early 14c., from reuthe "pity, compassion" (late 12c.), formed from reuwen "to rue“ + less, “lacking”

• Ans: A. cruel, merciless

17. solemn adj.• having great seriousness

• late 13c., from O.Fr. solempne (Fr. solennel), from L. sollemnis "formal, ceremonial, traditional"

18. speculator n. • A. investor• B. overseer• O.Fr. speculation, from L.L. speculationem. Meaning

"buying and selling in search of profit from rise and fall of market value" is recorded from 1774

• Ans: A. a person who invests hoping to make a quick profit

19. suffice v.• to be enough; to be sufficient

• early 14c., from stem of O.Fr. souffire "be sufficient," from L. sufficere "supply, suffice," from sub "up to" + root of facere "to make"

20. varied adj.• A. erroneous• B. diverse

• mid-14c. from O.Fr. varier, from L. variare "change, alter, make different," from varius "varied, different, spotted;" perhaps related to varus "bent, crooked, knock-kneed," and varix "varicose vein," from O.E. wearte "wart“

• Ans: B. diverse; many and different