#20

clandestine definition

secret (usually illegal or immoral)

Sentence At the time he was in charge of all CIA

clandestine operations.

convert

Definition not openly acknowledged or displayed

Sentence Heat is used to convert water to vapor.

Furtive

Definition trying not to be noticed due to guilt

Sentence They are the heads of our furtive

scheme.

Inconspicuous

Definition not noticeable (things)

Sentence he pushed the string through an

inconspicuous hole.

sly

Definition deceitful; sneaky with intelligence

Sentence She is also sly and sneaky with a knack

for slipping in and out of places unnoticed.

Stealthy

Definition behaving in a way to avoid being

seen/heard Sentence

stealthy step passing my room.

Surreptitious

Definition kept secret

Sentence surreptitious glances at the audience,

they were totally involved all the time.

Unobtrusive

Definition not to attract attention (person)

Sentence The principal tried to be unobtrusive as

she quietly entered the classroom to observe the class.

Advocate

Definition someone who is helping you

Sentence advocates a holistic approach in

teaching skills to children with special needs.

Artisan

Definition worker; makes thing by hand

Sentence We need an economy which can

unleash the creative powers of hi-tech artisans

Aesthetic

Definition practices self denial; doesn’t have fun

Sentence aesthetic investigation of cutting edge

technologies might have created an entirely different esthetic for the vehicle.

Charlatan

Definition fake; pretending to be

someone/something you’re not Sentence

Let's get these charlatans for what they deserve!

Hedonist

Definition life devoted to pleasurable things

Sentence In class we discussed the Greek's

doctrine of hedonism, which held that happiness or pleasure was the sole good in life.

Orator

Definition public speaker

Sentence The orator at the Assembly took his

time speaking about the need of coexistence with other races.

Adversary

Definition Opponent

Sentence adversary information capabilities

information systems.

pariah

Definition Outcast

Sentence The new student felt like a pariah at

her new school.

Raconteur

Definition tells stories; entertainer

Sentence He is a born raconteur, lover of life,

communicator

Virtuoso

Definition highly skilled in something

Sentence See yourself in your mind's eye

becoming a guitar virtuoso.

Frivolous

Definition not having any serious purpose or

value Sentence

From this point on the rather frivolous debate of " Is it cool to watch this?

Extraneous

Definition irrelevant or unrelated to the subject .

Sentence extraneous variables for the findings of

either to be applied rigidly across the board.

Incidental

Definition not a major part of something

Sentence The private benefits to the members

were legitimately incidental.

Inconsequential

Definition not important or significant

Sentence inconsequential chatter and gossip

Irrelevant

Definition unrelated to something

Sentence The label is completely irrelevant in

helping me decide whether I do or will like something.

Negligible

definition small or unimportant as to be not

worth considering (things) Sentence

negligible effect on the number of deaths from smoking

Peripheral

Definition relating to or situated on the edge

Sentence The training and education needs and

aspirations of these people are seen as somewhat peripheral to the education agenda.

Petty

Definition of little importance (person)

Sentence Annoyances There are only a few

things that I really dislike, and some of them are rather petty.

Superficial

Definition existing/occurring at/on the surface

Sentence Life speeds up and mobility increases

making even familial relationships more superficial and brief.

Trifling

Definition unimportant/trivial

Sentence Not at all something comparatively

trifling, something of a temporal and material nature.

Acute

Definition present to a severe degree; sharp

Sentence As her questions get more acute, Kurt

begins to tell her the whole truth.

Astute

Definition showing ability to assess situations.

Sentence astute in business matters as others of

their sex.

Discerning

Definition showing good judgment.

Sentence Some students have difficulty

discerning what is important from detail.

Erudite

Definition showing great knowledge

Sentence erudite books which some of us find

unreadable.

Incisive

Definition cutting straight to the point .

Sentence Both sides had their chances but the

visitors looked more incisive in attack.

Trivial

Definition of unimportance

Sentence trivial pursuits without danger to their

rule.

Ingenious

Definition clever/original

Sentence But as criminals become more

sophisticated we need to become more ingenious at outwitting them.

Judicious

Definition done with good judgment and sense .

Sentence Work procedures should be very

judicious about how much they do.

Perspicacious

Definition having a ready insight into an

understanding . Sentence

perspicacious mind has gone to the nub of the situation. ' ' The man is a genius!

Prudent

Definition showing thought for the future

Sentence prudent to assume that this tide can be

held back.

Sagacious

Definition wise

Sentence sagacious animals that the danger was

past.

Savvy

Definition practical knowledge (business or

politics) Sentence

Backed off a those games will most technologically savvy.

Acrid

Definition extremely sharp or bitter

Sentence acrid stench of the remedy Hangs in

the air; the night skies Are lit with it; the animals Burning.

Arid

Definition extremely dry

Sentence Farming in these extremely arid

conditions is made possible only with forced irrigation.

Aesthetic

Definition concerned with beauty or the

appreciation of beauty. Sentence

aesthetic investigation of cutting edge technologies might have created an entirely different esthetic for the vehicle.

Ascetic

Definition characterized by or suggesting the

practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, usually religious.

Sentence He became a very famous ascetic,

with a large following of fans.

Atheistic

Definition someone who believes that god does

not exist Sentence

Im Christian and he’s atheistic

Ambiguous

Definition open to more than one interpretation;

having a double meaning. Sentence

Like many modern pop idols he was sexually ambiguous.

Ambivalent

Definition having mixed feelings or contradictory

ideas about something or someone. Sentence

Getting into a relationship you are very ambivalent.

Coalesce

Definition come together and form one mass or

whole

Sentence

coalesce around a local vision for children then better outcomes and life

chances for children.

Convalesce

Definition recover one’s health and strength over

a period of time after an illness or operation.

Sentenceconvalesce few months into the course,

he was diagnosed with meningitis which left him convalescing for many months.

Delusion

Definition a false belief

Sentence

We cannot afford to live much longer in a world of economic self delusion.

Allusion

Definition an expression designed to call

something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

Sentence I could also not fully understand the

allusions to Japan.

Illusion

Definition something deceptive

Sentence Why give anyone the right to their

comforting illusions?

Imprudent

Definition not showing care for the consequences

of an action; rash. Sentence

imprudent marriage almost always produces.

Indigenous

Definition originating or occurring naturally in a

particular place; native.

Sentence indigenous population within these

shores.

Indigent

Definition poor; needy .

Sentence indigent circumstances to follow the

cart to the gallows.

Indignant

Definition feeling or showing anger or annoyance

at what is perceived as unfair treatment .

Sentence Vera becomes so indignant that Jim

sends her home, and has a serious talk with Terry.

Intimate

Definition to imply or hint .

Sentence intimate the motion to us before the

first hearing.

Intimidate

Definition to frighten or overawe in order to make

them to do what one wants. Sentence

intimidated by the prospect of taking part.

Obscure

Definition not discovered or known about;

uncertain . Sentence

obscure clear hard facts, which justify the decision.

Obtuse

Definition annoyingly insensitive or slow to

understand. Sentence

And she is far too obtuse to understand that the French King is only after what will serve him.

Ponder able

Definition having appreciable weight or

significance. Sentence

She was ponderable for the scale.

Ponderous

Definition slow and clumsy because of great

weight. Sentence

After this is became very ponderous, and never again rowed so well.