Here are some helpful online vocabulary reference tools:
http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
Week 9
| Verbs | Meaning | Usage |
| NONCHALANT | Unmoved or indifferent; casual4 | Reacted to the news in a nonchalant manner. Synonym: apathetic Antonyms: enthusiastic, zealous |
| NOSTALGIA | Homesickness | Felt nostalgia for the oldhomestead |
| NOTORIOUS | Widely known (in a bad sense) | A notorious gambler |
| NOVICE | A beginner | Conducted himself in politics like a novice. Synonyms: tyro, neophyte Antonym: virtuoso |
| OBDURATE | Hard-hearted; stubborn | An obdurate, unrepentant criminal. Synonyms: adamant, unyielding, inflexible Antonyms: submissive, docile, compliant |
| OBLIVIOUS | (noun: OBLIVION): Forgetful; absent-minded | Walking oblivious of his surroundings. Synonyms: unmindful, heedless, abstracted |
| OBSESSION | A persistent feeling, idea, activity, etc., which dominates a person; the state of being exclusively preoccupied by a fixed idea | Now that he has learned bowling, it has become his obsession. Synonyms: mania, infatuation (a foolish passion), monomania |
| OBSOLETE | No longer in use | An obsolete word, not even included by most dictionaries. Synonyms: archaic, antiquated |
| OBTRUSIVE | (verb: OBTRUDE): Thrusting oneself or itself into undue prominence | made himself obnoxiously obtrusive. Synonyms: intrusive, aggressive |
| OBVIATE | To prevent, dispose of, or make unnecessary by appropriate actions | An act which obviated all objections. Synonyms: preclude, forestall |
| OMNIPOTENT | All-powerful | An omnipotent despot |
| ONUS |
Burden; duty; obligation |
Bore the onus of his difficult office creditably |
| OSTENSIBLE | Apparent; pretended | His ostensible, though not actual, purpose. Synonyms: professed, plausible (that is, appearing true, reasonable, or fair), specious |
| OSTRACIZE | To banish; to exclude from public favor or privileges | A former premier ostracized by popular vote. Synonym: outlaw |
| PANACEA | A remedy for all ills | Seeking a panacea to cure our social troubles. Synonym: nostrum |
| PANEGYRIC |
A speech or writing of extravagant praise |
Delivered a panegyric at his friend's testimonial dinner. Synonyms: eulogy, adulation, tribute, laudation (adj. laudatory), encomium Antonyms: censure, disparagement, derogation, castigation, depreciation |
| PARADOX | A self-contradictory statement; something 'that appears to be absurd and yet may be true | "Life is too important a matter to he taken seriously." - a paradox by Oscar Wilde. Synonym: anomaly |
| PARAPHRASE | To restate the meaning of a passage in other words | Paraphrased the poem in a few lines of prose |
| PARODY | (noun): A humorous imitation of an author's style and mannerisms | Wrote a parody on Kipling's "Gunga Din." Synonym: burlesque (verb): To write a parody - parodied the popular authors of the (lay to his audience's amusement. Synonym: Mimic |
| PECCADILLO | A petty fault | Possesses one peccadillo among his many virtues. Synonyms: frailty, foible, flaw, blemish |
| PECUNIARY | Pertaining to money | Involved in pecuniary difficulties. Synonyms; financial, fiscal, monetary |
| PEDANT | (adj.: PEDANTIC): One whoproudly showsoffhislearning or whooverrates his knowledge | Like a pedant glorying in his scholarly trifles |
| PENSIVE | Sadly thoughtful | Softly sang his pensive song. Synonyms: reflective, meditative, contemplative, musing |
| PEREMPTORY |
Positive in expressing an opinion |
Gave a peremptory judgment. Synonyms: decisive, resolute, imperious, positive, dogmatic Antonyms: indecisive, tentative |
| PERTINACIOUS | Clinging doggedly to an opinion or purpose | Pertinacious in his efforts. Synonyms: obdurate, tenacious, persistent, persevering, intractable, inflexible |
| PERUSE | To read carefully | Perused the important letter |
| PERVERSE | Willfully bent on doing the wrong thing | A perverse lad, always disobeying his parents. Synonyms: headstrong, froward, refractory, wayward, fractious |
| PETRIFY | To paralyze with horror, fear, or surprise | Petrified by the enemy bombardment. Synonyms: stupefy, stun, bewilder, amaze |
| PLAGIARISM | Adopting and reproducing, without acknowledgment, the writings or ideas of another and passing them off as one's own | Denied the charge of deliberate plagiarism |
| PLATITUDE | A dull and commonplace remark | Bored people by his pompous phrases and platitudes. Synonyms: bromide, truism, axiom |
| PLEBEIAN | Pertaining to the common people; hence, common or vulgar | Plebeian in his tastes and outlook. Antonyms: patrician, aristocratic |
| PLEBISCITE | A direct vote by the people | The decision to confederate was ratified by plebiscite |
| POIGNANT |
(1) Gripping and moving the feelings powerfully |
- A poignant grief. - A poignant cry; poignant wit. |
| PONDEROUS | Very heavy; clumsy; dull | A ponderous speech, extremely boring |
| PRECARIOUS | Uncertain or risky | Earning a precarious livelihood, providing no luxuries |
| PRECIPITOUS | (1) Very steep (2) Descending rapidly |
- A precipitous cliff. - A precipitous decline in popularity |
| PRECOCIOUS | Remarkable for early mental development a precocious genius | |
| PREDATORY | (1) Inclined to plunder or rob (2) Preying on, others |
- Predatory bands roaming the countryside. - Predatory animals prowling about. Synonyms: predacious, looting, pillaging |
| PREDILECTION | Partiality or preference for; a favorable opinion arrived at beforehand | A predilection for theatricals. Synonyms: prepossession, proclivity, predisposition, penchant Antonyms: aversion, antipathy, repugnance |
| PRELUDE | An introduction, forerunner, or preliminary step | A short prelude to the play. Synonyms: preface, prologue, preamble. Antonym: epilogue |
| PREROGATIVE |
A privilege or power attaching to a position |
It is a woman's prerogative to refuse to tell her age. Synonym: license |
| PRESTIGE | Esteem or influence accorded for recognized achievements or reputation | As Senator he enjoyed great prestige. Synonym: distinction |