Ambiguous to Virtuoso

Lesson 9

Ambiguous—adjhaving more than one

meaning; unclear

I can’t stand it when directions are ambiguous; I need step-by-step directions.

I was fortunate that even though my parents divorced, they were

able to maintain an amiable relationship.

Amiable—adjfriendly, sociable, congenial; civil

We were surprised by the parents’ crass behavior at the hockey game.

Crass—adjcoarse, crude, unrefined

r

It was hard to follow his discursive comments; at one point he was blaming the president and

at another time he was talking about Hitler.

Discursive (adj)rambling, moving from one topic

to another randomly

Some people find dogs to be more docile as pets than cats are.

docile: easily managed, obedient,passive

Estrange- to alienate; to separate

My older brother had been estranged from the family for years; therefore, it was a surprise to hear

from him by email.

After a long, protracted trial, the innocent man was finally exonerated following the introduction of DNA

evidence.

exonerate: to free from blame, obligation, or

responsibility; to exculpate

Many people complain these days of the gratuitous sex and violence found on prime time television.

gratuitous: given freely, unwarranted

Some have hypothesized that global warming is a direct correlation of our dependence on fossil

fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas .

hypothesize: to reach a conclusion based

on an assumption or something not proven

The Egyptian government underestimated the public’s indignation and stamina during the protest.

indignation: anger as a result of something unjust

The tension induced by the large, diverse gathering erupted in chaos.

induce: to bring on or to bring

about

When we try to get our golden retriever to go in his crate, he is intractable.

intractable: stubborn, difficult to

manage

Students who take time to write and read are often more introspective and as a result they make better

problem solvers.

introspective: the quality of

examining one's own mind or thoughts

The medicine made my father-in-law more lucid after his stroke.

lucid: easily understood,

mentally sound

I wish I could be as meticulous about cleaning my car as I am about cleaning my house.

meticulous: taking great care

Albert Camus ‘ novel The Stranger is a classic story about a misanthrope who kills a man and feels no

regret.

misanthrope: a hater of mankind

•The benevolent philanthropist presented the munificent gift of a full-ride scholarship to the high school graduate.

•Oprah’s gift of a car to everyone in the audience was munificent.

munificent: very generous

With all the available information on the computer, many students plagiarize material without realizing

it.

plagiarize: to steal and to use

another's writings as one's own

The ostentatious wedding included a proliferation of profuse flower

arrangements that overwhelmed the simple church.

profuse: extravagantly abundant,

flowing freely

recluse: a person who lives in

solitude, a hermitHe was becoming a recluse, often avoiding people and spending days alone in his messy house with

the overgrown lawn.

Many of Chaucer’s pilgrim characters were sated with ale before telling their tales.

sated: satisfied fully, indulged to

excess

Alcohol has a stupefying effect on a person, and can make driving safely nearly impossible.

stupefy: to dull the sense as to put

into a stupor

I did not approve of her terse reply---I’d much rather she call me when she had time to chat.

terse: concise; laconic

Many of the developments in Ashburn cater to transient families who relocate frequently for jobs.

transient: quickly passing, fleeting

She loved and practiced the trumpet so much that many considered her a virtuoso.

virtuoso: one skilled in the fine arts as an accomplished musician, a savant