VocabSlam

abase

2012-05-19T11:51:00.001-04:00

(v) to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem
Although he missed an opportunity to score a goal, John felt that his soccer coach unfairly abased him in front of the rest of the team.

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abbreviate

2012-05-19T11:48:00.003-04:00

(v) to reduce to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole
I wish someone could give me an abbreviated version of the novel War and Peace because there's no way I'll be able to read the whole thing before my test.

abstinence

2012-05-19T11:48:00.001-04:00

(n) voluntary forbearance especially from indulgence of an appetite or craving
Peter's dad was an alcoholic so Peter abstained from booze and stayed sober his whole life.

abstruse

2012-05-19T11:47:00.001-04:00

(adj) difficult to comprehend
My science professor's lessons were so abstruse I don't think I learned a thing the whole semester.

acumen

2012-05-19T11:45:00.001-04:00

(n) keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters
Donna won was so full of political acumen that she became mayor of Townsville at age 24.

adroit

2012-05-19T11:44:00.001-04:00

(adj) having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations
Because my Dad is adroit at fixing things, I knew he'd repair the chair I broke.

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adulation

2012-05-19T11:41:00.001-04:00

(n) excessive or slavish admiration or flattery
The fans showed their adulation towards their idol Lady Gaga by showering her with wild applause.

adversity

2012-05-19T11:40:00.001-04:00

(n) a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty
Having been born poor and without any guidance, Horatio had to overcome a lot of adversity to become the successful man he is today.

aesthetic

2012-05-19T11:39:00.001-04:00

(adj) responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses
My new boyfriend has an aesthetic eye for fashion which makes him stand out in a crowd.

affable

2012-05-19T11:38:00.003-04:00

(adj) characterized by ease and friendliness
The professional baseball player is so affable that he stays long after each game to autograph all of his fans' baseballs.

alacrity

2012-05-19T11:38:00.001-04:00

(n) promptness in response; a cheerful readiness
The coffee shop barista responded to customers with such alacrity that some wondered how many cups of coffee he drank in a day.

alleviate

2012-05-19T11:37:00.001-04:00

(v) relieve, lessen
The Tylenol helped to alleviate my headache and I'm starting to feel much better.

altruism

2012-05-19T11:34:00.001-04:00

(n) unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
The stranger showed altruism when she dove into the river and saved the baby.

amalgam

2012-05-19T11:33:00.003-04:00

(n) a mixture of different elements
Sixth Street in Austin, Texas features an amalgam of musical styles but I love each one all the same.

ambiguous

2012-05-19T11:33:00.001-04:00

(adj) capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways

I'm so confused by the ambiguous answer Kate gave me when I asked her out to the movies that I have no idea if she'll show up or not.

ambivalent

2012-05-19T11:31:00.001-04:00

(adj) simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings
Pedro didn't like either candidate so he remained ambivalent about who to vote for until the day of the election.

amiable

2012-05-19T11:26:00.001-04:00

(adj) good-natured, obliging
The amiable old professor welcomed students to his office almost any time of day.

amicable

2012-05-19T11:25:00.001-04:00

(adj) peaceable; friendly
After a long and messy breakup, the couple eventually became amicable towards one another and decided to give friendship a try.

anachronistic

2012-05-19T11:24:00.001-04:00

(n) something from a former age that is incongruous in ihe present
To be intentionally anachronistic, Jean Paul always wore an old pocket watch that didn't even work.

anecdote

2012-05-19T11:20:00.001-04:00

(n) usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident
My history teacher always interrupts our lessons with random anecdotes about her wild vacation in Bangkok.

anonymous

2012-05-19T11:19:00.003-04:00

(adj) not named or identified
I didn't want other blog users to know who I was so I created an anonymous username.

antagonist

2012-05-19T11:19:00.001-04:00

(n) one that contends with or opposes another
Sarah sees her boss as an antagonist because he spends his days criticizing her work and challenges her on everything.

apathetic

2012-05-19T11:18:00.001-04:00

(adj) having or showing little or no feeling or emotion
Unfortunately for democracy, a lot of voters are apathetic during election season and choose to stay home.

arboreal

2012-05-19T11:17:00.001-04:00

(adj) of or relating to trees
Johnny needed to get away from the all the concrete grayness of the city so he drove to an arboreal part of the countryside to relax.

arcane

2012-05-19T11:16:00.001-04:00

(adj) known or knowable only to the initiated
My History teacher is like an encyclopedia and knows all kinds of arcane facts about Word War II.