Vocabulary Unit 3

Abridge (v)To make shorter.

• Link: a bridge

The state ran out of bailout money and had toabridge the bridge.

Context Clue Sentences

• We were forced to abridge the baseball game due to severe weather.

• The writers of the Harry Potter movies had to abridge the lengthy story so the film wouldn’t be too long.

• Kanye West’s outburst forced Taylor Swift to abridge her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Adherents (n) a follower, supporter; (adj) attached, sticking

to• Link: add her aunts

After using many sticky adherents to tack the pictures to the family tree, the girl realized she forgot to add her aunts.

Context Clue Sentences

• People for the ethical treatment of animals, or PETA, adhere to very strict beliefs about animal cruelty.

• She was an adherent of the movement to end worldwide child hunger.

• Gorilla Glue is the strongest type of adherent. It can even attach a 10 lb. dumbbell to the ceiling.

Altercation (n.) an angry argument

• Link: Alter

The bride and groom had an altercation at the alterbecause the best manforgot the rings.

What did I get myself into?

I knew I should have picked more responsible

friends!

Context Clue Sentences

• My sister and I had a serious altercation when she borrowed my favorite pair of red pumps without asking.

• The altercation between the opposing teams became violent when some of the players began throwing punches.

Cherubic (adj.)resembling an angel portrayed as a little child with a

beautiful, round, or chubby face.

• Link: Cheer

The angelic cheerleader had a cherubic face.

• The Gerber baby was selected for the ad campaign based on it’s chubby cheeks and cherubic features.

• The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is adorned with a multitude of cherubic looking babies depicted as angels.

Condone (v.)to pardon or overlook.

• Link: Condo

• Listening to loud music at 3:00 a.m., throwing wild parties, and instaling a swimming pool on your balcony is not behavior that is condoned when living in a condo.

• One thing Lincoln-Way does not condone is cheating on tests and plagiarism on papers.

• My parents were willing to condone the fact that I got a speeding ticket since they know I am typically a responsible driver.

• Miss Porick does not condone sleeping in class or other off task behavior.

Dissent (v.) to disagree, (n.) disagreement

• Link: to diss

• After their disagreement about the Cubs and the White Sox Moira dissed Angela by slamming her locker and walking away.

Context Clue Sentences

• My boyfriend and I dissent about Jay Cutler’s performance for the Chicago Bears.

• The dissent regarding the student’s failing grade was resolved when she realized she forgot to turn in her semester paper.

• A dissent over a parking violation ended with the driver being forced to pay the fine to remove the “boot” from his tire.

Eminent (adj.) famous, outstanding, distinguished:

projecting• Link: Eminem

Eminem is a rapper that some fans would consider to be eminent.

Context Clues

• Marylyn Monroe is an actress who has an eminent reputation.

• Receiving the eminent Nobel Peace Prize is a prestigious honor.

• Oprah and Michelle Obama are utilizing their eminent reputations to help Chicago win the Olympic Bid.

Exorcise (v.) to drive out by magic, to dispose of

something troublesome• Link: exercise

• The contestants on the Biggest Loser plan to exorcise their fat cells by exercising.

Context Clues

• The priest had to exorcise the demons from the little girl’s body.

• In order to exorcise the ghost from the house the tenants had to hire the Ghostbusters.

Fabricate (v.) to make, manufacture, or invent

• Link: Fabric

• I used fabric to fabricate my Halloween costume.

Context Clue

• The teacher had to quickly fabricate a test because her computer had crashed the night before.

• When I learned that we would have 10 extra guests at the dinner party I had to quickly fabricate a way to portion out the food evenly.

Irate (adj.)angry

• Link: I HATE…

• I’m IRATE because I HATE that Andrew beat Lincoln-Way West last Friday.

Marauder (n.) A raider, plunder

• Link: a motor

• The MARAUDER stole a motor boat!

Obesity (n.)Excessive fatness

• Link: A big city

• There are many tasty restaurants in a big city. Dining at them too often may lead to Obesity.

Pauper (n.) an extremely poor person

• Link: pop

• Soda pop executives have become paupers after marketing turkey flavored pop.

• The prince and the pauper is a tale of two people who trade places and social classes.

• After investing in Enron, many people became paupers because of the crash in their stocks.

• After shopping for expensive back to school clothes my mother joked that she had become a pauper.

• What is one thing you could spend your money on to easily become a pauper?

Pilfer (v.) to steal in small quantities

• Link: thrill

• Some people get a thrill from pilfering from popular stores.

• You could become very wealthy by pilfering small amounts of money over a long period of time.

• I pilfer the candy from the candy jar every day but now there is none left.

• Who arrrrrrrrr some popular characters that pilfer things?

Rift (n.)a split, break, breach

• Link: raft

A rift in a raft can lead it to sink!

• There was a rift in the security system at the Pentagon.

• The rift in my new jeans got larger and larger as I continued to move around.

• While hiking on the mountain we had to be very cautious of rifts in the rocks.

• What is the biggest celebrity rift you can recall?

Semblance (n.)A likeness; an outward appearance; an

apparition• Link: resemblance

• There is some semblance between pet owners and their pets. You may have a resemblance to a Chihuahua or a poodle.

• All of the Gosselin children have a semblance to their parents.

• That impersonator has a striking semblance to Elvis Pressley.

• Some of you may plan to attempt a semblance of a celebrity or cartoon character for halloween.

• Who is someone that you have a semblance to? (related or not)

Surmount (v.)to overcome, rise above

• Link: Mountain

• We surmounted the mountain by making it to the peak in under 12 hours.

• I plan to surmount my busy schedule this year by using my academic planner and staying organized.

• By practicing the piano every day, Michelle was able to surmount the difficult piece of music.

• Actors, musicians, and performers must force themselves to surmount their fear and nervousness before taking the stage.

Terminate (v.) to bring to an end

• Link: Terminator

• The Terminator put an end to the bad guy’s reign of terror. Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as the “Governator.”

• My job as an installer of countertops was terminated when I dropped a $6,000 piece of granite.

• The party was terminated when all the pre-schoolers began to have temper tantrums.

• The show Family Guy was terminated after being considered too raunchy and controvercial for public television.

Trite (adj.)commonplace; overused, stale

• Link: Like

• The word “like” has become trite. It is used far too often as a pause in between statements which is not the word’s intended purpose.

• The phrase “talk to the hand” quickly became trite as many people began to use it in everyday conversation.

• “I Got a Feelin’,” “S.O.S.,” and “Pocket Full of Sunshine” are some examples of songs are trite. Radio stations need to improve the variety of their music choices.

• What is something popular in your culture that you believe has become trite?– Fashion– Movie Quoes– Catch Phrases– Songs or TV Shows

Usurp (v.) to seize and hold a position by force or

without right• Link: You work

• You work hard to earn a higher level position at the office only to have the position usurped by the boss’s son.

• The Illinois Senate seat was usurped by Rolland Burris who bought his way into the position after Barak Obama became President.

• King Hamlet was usurped by King Claudius in the Shakespearean play Hamlet. Claudius wished to marry the King’s wife and therefore murdered King Hamlet by pouring poison into his ear.

• Has something ever been usurped from you? – Sports– A Position– A job or priviledge– Explain…