Vocabulary

Vocabulary
On this page, post any new or unfamiliar vocabulary words you encounter in the readings. Look the word up and post the definition of the word here, along with its paragraph location and page number in the textbook. For example:

From paragraph 13 of "What's Eating America" by Michael Pollan, p.303
 * Obscurity**-- (//noun//) 1. One that is no clearly seen or easily distinguished. 2. The quality or state of being shrouded in or hidden by darkness.

From paragraph 22 of "The Obligation to Endure" by Rachel Carson, p.89
 * Insipid**-- (a//dj//) 1. Lacking in taste or savor, //tasteless//. 2. Lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge, //dull//.

From paragraph 7 of "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr., p.205
 * Moratorium**-- //(noun//) 1. A legally authorized waiting period in the payment of a debt. 2. A suspension of activity.

From paragraph 9 of "The Ends of the World s We Know Them" by Jared Diamond, p. 100.
 * Ostentatious**-- //(adj)// Marked by or fond of conspicuous and sometimes pretentious display. Other forms: //ostentatiously (adv), ostentatiousness// (noun).

From paragraph 17 of "Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs" by Stephen Jay Gould, p.174.
 * Chauvinistic**-- //(adj)// 1. Displaying excessive or blind patriotism. 2. Dispalying an attitude of superiority towards members the opposite sex. Other forms: //chauvinism// (noun), //chauvinist// (noun or adj).

From paragraph 14 of "Our Vanishing Night" by Verlyn Kinkenborg, p. 237
 * Patrimony**-- //(noun)//1. An estate inherited from one's father or ancestor. 2. An estate or endowment belonging by ancient right to a chruch. Other forms: //patrimonial// (adj).

1. **Smocked.** Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric so that it can stretch. From paragraph 8 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p.22.- LC

2. To gather (cloth) into decorative rows by parallel. From paragraph 8 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p. 22.- LC
 * Shirred.**

3. Bodice historically, is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from neck to waist. From paragraph 8 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p. 22.- LC
 * Bodice.**

From paragraph 2 of "I Just Wanna Be Average" by Mike Rose, p. 332.
 * Euphemism**-- (//noun//) The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered blunt or offensive, as is //pass away// for //die//. Other forms: //euphamistic// (adj), //euphamistically// (adv), //euphamize// (v).

From paragraph 14 of "I Just Wanna Be Average" by Mike Rose, p. 335.
 * Apocryphal**-- (//adj//) 1. Of questionable authorship or authenticity. 2. Erroneous; fictitious. Other forms: //apocryphally// (adv).

**Tram·mel**  noun, verb, -meled,-mel·ing or (especially British) -melled, -mel·ling. 1. Usually,  trammels. a hindrance or impediment to free action; restraint: the trammels of custom. From paragraph 10 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p. 23. -MLB

**Mol·li·fy** [ mol - uh -fahy ] verb (used with  object), -fied, -fy·ing. 1. T<span style="color: #333333; cursor: default; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">o <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease. 2. To mitigate or reduce; soften: to mollify one's demands. From paragraph 17 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p. 24. -MLB

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">**far·ci·cal** <span class="prondelim" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">[ <span class="boldface" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">fahr <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-si-k <span class="ital-inline" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ul <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">] <span style="color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #333333; cursor: default; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">adjective <span style="color: #333333; cursor: default; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. P<span style="color: #333333; cursor: default; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ertaining to or <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> of the __<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">[|nature] __<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> of __<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">[|farce] __. 2. R<span style="color: #333333; cursor: default; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">esembling __<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">[|farce] __; ludicrous; absurd. <span style="color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1em;">From paragraph 45 of "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, p. 28. -MLB verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing. 1.to reject as having no authority or binding [|force] 2. to cast off or disown 3.to reject with disapproval or condemnation. From paragraph 27 of "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr., p. 212. -AP
 * repudiate** [ ri- pyoo -dee-eyt ]

noun <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">a grazier or land-holder raising sheep, cattle, etc, ona large scale <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Paragraph 25 "The Ends of The World As We Know It" by Jared Diamond, pg. 103
 * pastoralist **

verb subject to refraction(noun 1.the change of direction of a ray of light, sound, heat, or the like, in passing obliquely from one medium to another in which its wave is different.) Paragraph 4 "Out Vanishing Night" Verlyn Klinkenborg
 * refracted**

noun any of numerous insectivorous bats of the genus //Pipistrellus// Paragraph 7 "Out Vanishing Night" Verlyn Klinkenborg
 * pipistrelle**

as·per·i·ty
//noun// \a- ˈ sper-ə-tē, ə-, - ˈ spe-rə-\

Definition of //ASPERITY//
1 **:** [|rigor], [|severity] 2 //a// **:** roughness of surface **:** [|unevenness]; //also// **:** a tiny projection from a surface //b// **:** roughness of sound 3 **:** roughness of manner or of temper **:** [|harshness] <asked with some //asperity// just what they were implying> //From James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son," p. 54, paragraph 9.//
 * Examples of //ASPERITY//**
 * 1) doesn't like the //asperity// of most experimental music
 * 2) she responded with such //asperity// that we knew she was deeply offended by the question

adjective <span class="prondelim" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[ <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">pi- <span class="boldface" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">jawr <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- <span class="ital-inline" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">uh <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-tiv, - <span class="boldface" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">jor <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-, <span class="boldface" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">pej <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- <span class="ital-inline" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">uh <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-rey-, <span class="boldface" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">pee <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-j <span class="ital-inline" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">uh <span class="pron" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- <span class="prondelim" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">] having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or [|force] Paragraph 4 "On Morality" by Joan Didion
 * Pejorative**