WEEK 1

 

Vulnerable [adj]/ˈvʌlnərəbəl/

Definition

capable of being physically or emotionally wounded or hurt

open to temptation, persuasion, censure, etc

liable or exposed to disease, disaster, etc

4.(military) liable or exposed to attack

5.(bridge) (of a side who have won one game towards rubber) subject to increased bonuses or penalties

Word Origin: C17: from Late Latin vulnerābilis, from Latin vulnerāre to wound, fromvulnus a wound

Example: As easily thou mayest impress the air with thy sword, as make me vulnerable.

Bedlam[n]/ˈbɛdləm/

Definition

1.a noisy confused place or situation; state of uproar: his speech caused bedlam

2.(archaic) a lunatic asylum; madhouse

Word Origin

C13 bedlem, bethlem, after the Hospital of St Mary of Bethlehem in London

Cacophony[n][kuh-kof-uh-nee]  (plural cacophonies.)

Definition

harsh discordance of sound; dissonance:a cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails.

2.a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds:the cacophony produced by city traffic at midday.

Music. frequent use of discords of a harshness and relationship difficultto understand.

Word Origin n.

1650s, from Greek kakophonia, from kakophonos "harsh sounding," fromkakos "bad, evil" (see caco- ) + phone "voice" (see fame (n.)). Related:Cacophonous.

Example: When I blog on politics, on the other hand, there's a cacophony of voices.

 

Exploit [n]  ˈɛksplɔɪt

1.a notable deed or feat, esp one that is noble or heroic

verb (transitive) ( ɪkˈsplɔɪt) 

2.to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically orunjustly for one's own ends

3.to make the best use of: to exploit natural resources

Word Origin

C14: from Old French: accomplishment, from Latin explicitum (something)unfolded, from explicāre to explicateExample:The power of the universe is waiting for you to exploit it.

 

Admiration[n.]/ˌædməˈreɪʃ(ə)n/

Definition

: a feeling of great respect and approval

Origin early 15c., "wonder," from Middle French admiration (14c.) or directly from Latin admirationem (nominative admiratio) "a wondering at, admiration," noun of state from past participle stem of admirari "admire," from ad- "at" (see ad-) + mirari "to wonder," from mirus "wonderful" (see miracle). The sense has weakened steadily since 16c.

 Example- She looked at them in admiration.

 

Acquire[v.] /əˈkwaɪə(r)/

Definition

: to gain (a new skill, ability, etc.) usually by your own effort

: to come to have (something)

Origin-

 Middle English aqueren, from Anglo-French acquerre, from Latin acquirere, from ad- + quaerere to seek, obtain

 Roots: quir-look for

 Example-

 The old word has acquired a new meaning.

 

Exhibit[v.]  /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/

Definition

: to make (a painting, sculpture, etc.) available for people to see

: to show or reveal (something)

Origin

Middle English, from Latin exhibitus, past participle ofexhibēre, from ex- + habēre to have, hold

Roots: ex-out, outside

Example

They will be exhibiting a collection of paintings.

 

Obsessive[adj.]/əbˈsesɪv/

Definition

: thinking about something or someone too much or in a way that is not normal 

: having an obsession

: showing or relating to an obsession

Origin

1911, from obsess + -ive. Related: Obsessively. Obsessive-compulsive is attested from 1927.

Roots: sess-sit

 Example

 Many dancers are obsessive about their weight.

 

Strive[v.]  /straɪv/

Definition

: to try very hard to do or achieve something

Origin 

Middle English, to quarrel, contend, fight, endeavor, from Anglo-French estriver to quarrel, from estri, estrif strife

 Example

 They continue to strive toward their goals.

 

Toddler[n.] /ˈtɒdlə(r)/

Definition

: a young child who is just learning to walk

Origin

1793, agent noun from toddle. Toddlekins is from 1839.

Example

The hyperactive toddler is a real handful.

 

Restate[v.]/ˌriːˈsteɪt/

Definition

: to say (something) again or in a different way especially to make the meaning clearer

Origin

also re-state, 1713, from re- + state (v.). 

Example

She needs to restate her arguments.

 

Helium[n.]/ˈhiːliəm/

 Definition

: a chemical element that is a colorless gas, that is lighter than air, and that is often used to fill balloons

Origin

New Latin, from Greek hēlios

 

Quotient[n.] /ˈkwəʊʃ(ə)nt/

Definition

mathematics : the number that results when one number is divided by another

: the degree to which a specific quality or characteristic exists

Origin

Middle English quocient, modification of Latin quotiens how many times, from quot how many

Example

Helium is a gas used in balloons. 

 

Algebra[n.]/ˈældʒɪbrə/

Definition

: a branch of mathematics that uses numbers and letters that represent numbers

Origin

Medieval Latin, from Arabic al-jabr, literally, the reduction

 Example

He finally got the answer to the algebra problem.

 

Curriculum[n.] /kəˈrɪkjʊləm/

Definition

:the subjects that students study at a particular school or college

Origin

1824, from Modern Latin transferred use of classical Latin curriculum "a running, course, career" (also "a fast chariot, racing car"), from currere (see current (adj.)). Used in English as a Latin word since 1630s at Scottish universities.

 Root: cur-run, move

 Example

Our mathematics curriculum is much broader now.

 

Anticipate[v.] /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt/

Definition

: to think that something will probably happen

: to be excited about something enjoyable that is going to happen soon

: to guess that something will happen, and be ready to deal with it

Origin

530s, "to cause to happen sooner," a back-formation from anticipation, or else from Latin anticipatus, past participle of anticipare "take (care of) ahead of time," literally "taking into possession beforehand," from ante "before" (see ante) + capere "to take" (see capable). 

 Example

The film, due to be released in the spring, is being eagerly anticipatedby the critics.

 

Hyperactive[adj.] /ˌhaɪpərˈæktɪv/

Definition

: extremely active or too active

Origin- 1852, from hyper- + active.

 Roots: super, over

 Example

<the skyrocketing price of oil resulted in a wildly fluctuating, hyperactive stock market>

 

Repetitive[adj.] /rɪˈpetətɪv/

Definition

: happening again and again 

: having parts, actions, etc., that are repeated many times in a way that is boring or unpleasant

Origin

805, from Latin repetit-, past participle stem of repetere "do or say again" (see repeat (v.)) + -ive. 

Example

She left the job because the work was too repetitive.

 

Strain[n..] /streɪn/

Definition

: COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE] pressure caused by a difficult situation

:COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE] an injury caused by twisting orstretching a muscle too much

: a particular type of animal, insect, or plant

: LITERARY the sound of some music

Origin

Middle English streen progeny, lineage, from Old Englishstrēon gain, acquisition; akin to Old High German gistriunigain, Latin struere to heap up

Example

This war will put a great strain on the economy.

 

Autism[n.] /ˈɔːtɪz(ə)m/

Definition

medical : a condition or disorder that begins in childhood and that causes problems in forming relationships and in communicating with other people

Origin

1912, from German Autismus, coined 1912 by Swiss psychiatrist Paul Bleuler (1857-1939) from comb. form of Greek autos- "self" (see auto-) + -ismos suffix of action or of state. The notion is of "morbid self-absorption."

 

 Syndrome[n.]/ˈsɪnˌdrəʊm/

Definition

: a disease or disorder that involves a particular group of signs and symptoms

Origin

New Latin, from Greek syndromē combination, syndrome, from syn- + dramein to run

First Known Use: 1541

Roots: syn-same

 Example

Einstein and Newton may have had a form of autism. 

 

Affection[n.]/əˈfekʃ(ə)n/

Definition

: a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something

Origin

Middle English, from Anglo-French affection, from Latinaffection-, affectio, from afficere

 Roots: fect-do

Example

She developed a deep affection for that country and its people.

 

Tulip [n.]

Definition

: a large, bright flower that is shaped like a cup and that grows in the spring

Origin

New Latin tulipa, from Turkish tülbent turban

Example

Beneath this, on the mantelshelf, is displayed a collec-tion of seventeenth-century tulip vases.

 

Vigil[n.]/ˈvɪdʒɪl/

Definition

: an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night

Origin

Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven

 Example

She kept vigil at the bedside of her critically ill son.

 

Inviolate[adj.]/ɪnˈvaɪələt/

Definition

: not harmed or changed

Origin

"unbroken, intact," early 15c., from Latin inviolatus “unhurt,” from in- "not, opposite of" + violatus .

 Example

These rights must remain inviolate.

 

Girders [n.]/ˈɡɜː(r)də(r)/

Definition

: a strong beam used to build buildings, bridges, etc.

Origin

First Known Use: 1611

Example

The cross girder center segments of the bents were field bolted.

 

Contingency[adj.] /kənˈtɪndʒ(ə)nsi/

Definition

: something (such as an emergency) that might happen

Origin

1560s, "quality of being contingent," from contingent + -cy. Meaning "a chance occurrence" is from 1610s.

 Example

 In making our business plans, we tried to prepare for anycontingency that might hurt sales.

 

Abyss [n.] /əˈbɪs/

Definition

: a hole so deep or a space so great that it cannot be measured

Example

One slip on this mountain and you will fall into the abyss.

Origin

Middle English abissus, from Late Latin abyssus, from Greekabyssos, from abyssos, adjective, bottomless, from a- +byssos depth; perhaps akin to Greek bathys deep

 

Indiscreet[adj.]/ˌɪndɪˈskriːt/

Definition

: not having or showing good judgment 

: revealing things that should not be revealed

Origin

Middle English indiscrete, from Late Latin indiscretus, from Latin, indistinguishable, from in- + discretus, past participle of discernere to separate

 Example

<telling a friend's secrets is indiscreet, and unkind as well>