Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 1) Word: curtail (v.) Synonym(s): cut, decrease, diminish Etymology: From curtal, meaning "a horse with its tail cut short." 2) Word: travesty (n.) Synonym(s): mockery, joke, parody Etymology: French travestir ("to dress up in someone else's clothing"). Today the word retains the metaphorical sense of dressing up or presenting something ridiculously.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 3) Word: scruple (n.) Synonym(s): conscience, principle, misgiving Etymology: Latin scrupulus ("a small, sharp stone that gets caught in one's sandal"). Just as a Roman's sole was made uneasy by sharp stones, his soul was made uneasy by the sharp irritation of conscience. 4) Word: havoc (n.) Synonym(s): ruin, damage, devastation Etymology: In the Middle Ages, "Havoc!" was a war cry signaling a victorious army to loot, rape, and pillage in a conquered town.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 5) Word: mentor (n.) Synonym(s): instructor, guide, preceptor, guru Etymology: Odysseus's friend was put in charge of his home when he left. Since then, his name has become synonymous with wise and protective guardianship. 6) Word: haggard (adj.) Synonym(s): careworn, weary, fatigued, gaunt Etymology: An archaic English term meaning "a wild hawk captured which had already grown its mature feathers." These birds often have a wild and hungry appearance.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 7) Word: utopian (adj.) Synonym(s): idealistic, impractical, quixotic Etymology: Thomas Moore's book, Utopia, described an ideal place. Any plan for a perfect society might be characterized as utopian. Latin utopia ("no place"). 8) Word: mercurial (adj.) Synonym(s): unstable, impulsive, erratic Etymology: The chemical element Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Thus moody, temperamental people might be mercurial.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 9) Word: diffident (adj.) Synonym(s): shy, insecure, timorous Etymology: From the Latin words dis ("not") and fidere ("trust"). In this sense, the word means not having confidence in oneself. 10) Word: hypocrisy (n.) Synonym(s): deceptiveness, dishonesty, insincerity Etymology: From the Greek word for actor, hypocrites. Thus the word has come to mean a person who pretends to be someone he or she is not.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 11) Word: zealous (adj.) Synonym(s): enthusiastic, passionate, intense, ardent Etymology: From the Greek word zelos, meaning "intense and passionate devotion or enthusiasm." During the first century A.D., a group of Jews called Zealots actively opposed the Roman empire. 12) Word: candid (adj.) Synonym(s): sincere, direct, outspoken, uninhibited Etymology: Latin candidus ("shining white"). It also referred to spotlessness and purity with regard to a person's character.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 13) Word: posthumous (adj.) Synonym(s): after-death, post-mortem Etymology: Latin postumus ("very last"). Since an after death occurrence is one that is the very last, postumus came to mean "after death." 14) Word: enthrall (v.) Synonym(s): spellbind, thrill, enchant, captivate Etymology: Originally, thrall meant slave in English. To enthrall a person was to make that person a slave.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 15) Word: chagrin (n.) Synonym(s): shame, embarrassment, mortification Etymology: From the French word chagrin ("distressed"). To be chagrined is to be irritated about something to the point that a person feels deeply saddened or disappointed. 16) Word: parasite (n.) Synonym(s): freeloader, deadbeat, sycophant Etymology: Greek para ("beside") + sitos ("food"). The original meaning was one who ate at the table of another or one who would flatter his host to be invited back for a free meal.

Parasites: Dust mites such as these (magnified 370 times) live on people’s skin and in the fabric of the average home. They feed on the dead scales of human skin, and their bodies and excrement can cause allergic reactions.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 17) Word: cant (n.) Synonym(s): insincerity, phoniness, empty talk, slang Etymology: From the Latin cantus ("song"). This refers to the repetitive songs medieval cantors used to sing during prayers. Today the word is associated with an insincere or hypocritical speech—especially about ideals. 18) Word: ephemeral (adj.) Synonym(s): momentary, brief, temporary, transitory Etymology: From the Greek epi ("upon") and herma ("day"). Hence the word refers to something that lasts only one day or passes quickly.

Words of the Day – 1st Semester Unit 4 19) Word: dexterous (adj.) Synonym(s): skilled, nimble, adroit, efficient Etymology: Latin dexter ("right" or "right- hand"). 20) Word: sinister (adj.) Synonym(s): menacing, villainous, malevolent Etymology: Latin sinister ("left" or "left-hand side").