Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Vocabulary: fall #1

Expository - adj. intended to explain or describe something
Matthew wrote an expository essay about guitar.
Composition - n. the way in which a whole or mixture is made up
Everything is composed of elements.
Assuage - v. make an unpleasant feeling less intense
The letter assuaged the fears of the high school student.
Decadence - n. moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury
The old man denounced Western decadence.
Hackneyed - adj. a phrase or idea lacking significance through having been overused
My friend say hackneyed old sayings.
Coalition - n. an alliance for combined action, esp. as a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government
They formed a coalition in order to become a country.
Transcend - v. be or go beyond the range of limits
Her mind transcended to that of a human being.
Meritorious - adj. deserving reward or praise
A medal for meritorious conduct.
Lurid - adj. very vivid in color, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect
He's wearing a lurid pair of shorts.
Petulant - adj.  childishly sulky or bad-tempered
He was moody and petulant.

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