Expanding Your Vocabulary: Unit 4 Key Words Explained
Gain insight into essential vocabulary words from Unit 4 with clear definitions, synonyms, and example sentences. Enhance your language skills as you learn about words like "affable," "aggrandize," "amorphous," "archetype," "aura," "contraband," "erudite," and "gossamer."
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Affable Adj. courteous and pleasant; sociable, easy to speak to Synonym amicable, cordial We spent a pleasant afternoon with our affable neighbors.
aggrandize V. to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater Synonym augment; enhance John D. Rockefeller worked to aggrandize his empire by purchasing oil wells, refineries, and pipelines.
amorphous Adj. shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion Synonym formless, unstructured The amorphous body of the amoeba was fascinating to watch under the microscope.
archetype N. an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing Synonym model, prototype, epitome Sherlock Holmes was an archetype of a clever detective who always solves the case.
aura N. that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality Synonym atmosphere, ambience What people thought was her aura of mystery was actually a mask for her shyness.
contraband N. illegal traffic, smuggled goods Adj. illegal, prohibited Synonym (adj.) bootleg, unlawful Three jeweled combs from the 17thcentury were among the contraband seized by the police in the raid.
erudite Adj. scholarly, learned, bookish Synonym well-read For my paper, I would like to find an erudite history of the subject written in a clear and unbiased manner.
gossamer Adj. thin, light, delicate, insubstantial N. a very thin, light cloth Synonym sheer, airy Ghosts are often depicted in literature as wearing gossamer clothing that makes them seem all the more ethereal. The book was so old that each finely printed page seemed only the weight of gossamer.
inscrutable Adj. incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically Synonym incomprehensible I could not tell by her inscrutable smile whether she was pleased or only amused with me.
insular Adj. relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience Synonym narrow-minded; provincial You seem too sophisticated to hold such insular opinions.
irrevocable Adj. incapable of being changed or called back Synonym unalterable We tend to think of court verdicts as irrevocable, but they are often overturned by higher courts.
propensity N. a natural inclination or predilection toward Synonym proclivity Queen Elizabeth I showed a strong propensity for putting off decisions in the hopes that they would resolve themselves.
querulous Adj. peevish, complaining, fretful Synonym irritable; petulant Some flight attendants dread a querulous airline passenger more than they do rough weather.
remonstrate V. to argue with someone against something; to protest against Synonym expostulate; protest Slowly, carefully, keeping his voice down, he argued with the caller as one might remonstrate with a child.
repudiate V. to disown, reject, or deny the validity of Synonym renounce He was forced to repudiate a statement he had made before he d had all the information.
resilient Adj. able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly Synonym springy; elastic The development of lightweight, resilient plastics revolutionized the design of many durable goods.
reverberate V. to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly Synonym echo, rumble From the construction site, the noise of the bulldozers and dump trucks reverberated across the valley.
scurrilous Adj. coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language); foul-mouthed Synonym obscene, filthy Days passed and unrest grew, and soon the rebels began a scurrilous attack on their absent leader.
sedulous Adj. persistent, showing industry and determination Synonym persistent No one could say that he was lazy, for he was a careful, sedulous copier of other people s work.
sleazy Adj. thin or flimsy in texture; cheap, shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable Synonym cheesy; inferior My grandmother made her clothes at home in order to avoid the sleazy goods sold in the general store.
