Unit 1

admonishTo caution or advise against

something

admonish advise against

breachAn opening or gap; to break through

breach – break through; break a contract

brigandbandit, robber; outlaw

brigand = band -it

circumspectcareful; cautious

circumspect = circus = tight rope or the trapeze artist must be careful!

commandeerto seize for military or official

useThe commander told the troops to

commandeer the enemy camp.

cumbersomeclumsy; hard to handle; slow

movingcumber = cucumber

A barrel of cucumbers can be

very cumbersome to carry.

deadlock

a standstill dead= complete standstill –can’t move

lock(ed) = can’t move

debrisScattered fragments or wreckage

Hurricane Debra left the neighborhood scattered with debris.

diffuseTo spread or scatter freely or widely

If a candle has a long “fuse” (wick) the light may spread widely.

dilemmaa difficult or perplexing situation

difficult = dilemmaperplexing situation = problem =

problemaproblema = dilemma

(Spanish)

effaceto wipe-out or to keep oneself from being noticed

erase = wipe-out (rhymes with efface)

face = wipe off your face when you don’t want to be noticed

muddle(v)to make a mess of; to get by; (n) a hopeless mess

mud = mess/ dirty

opinionatedstubborn and often unreasonable in holding to one’s own ideas having a closed mind

OPINION = one’s own ideas

perenniallasting for a long time, persistent; a plant that lives for many years

perennial = persistentannual = (a flower blooms) once a

year vs.

perennial = lives for many years

predisposeto incline to beforehand

exposed to beforehand

relinquishTo let go, give up

relinquish = to let go = to release

salvage(v)to save from fire or shipwreck; (n)property thus saved

to save = salvage

spasmodicsudden and violent, but brief; fitful; intermittent

“spaz” = intermittent = randomly act out = fitful

or muscle spasm (sudden, painful/violent, brief= short time)

spuriousnot genuine, not true, not valid

not genuine = bogus = spuriousTell a spurious tale-- it might

make your parents curious about the truth.

unbridledUncontrolled, lacking in restraint

bridle = horse = unbridled horse is uncontrolled