1. Lesson 3 Vocabulary
English I Honors

2. 1. Abridge- to make shorter
It is the sacred duty of all Americans to oppose any attempt to abridge or deny the rights guaranteed to us in the Constitution.
2. Adherent- a follower, supporter; attached , sticking to
One can’t become a good writer just by adhering closely to rules laid down in standard grammar books.

3. 3. Altercation- an angry argument
What began as a minor quarrel grew into a serious altercation and then into an ugly brawl.
4. Cherubic- resembling an angel portrayed as a little child with a beautiful, round, or chubby face; sweet and innocent.
Their cherubic faces and ethereal voices almost made me believe that the music they were singing was coming from heaven.

4. 5. Condone- to pardon or overlook
I do not entirely condone your misconduct, but I can understand , to a degree, why you behaved as you did.
6. Dissent- to disagree; a disagreement
In a dictatorship, people who dissent from the official party line usually wind up in prison- or worse.

5. 7. Eminent- famous, outstanding, distinguished; projecting
I am very much flattered that you have referred to me as an “eminent educator”, but I prefer to think of myself as just a good teacher.
8. Exorcise- to drive out by magic; to dispose of something troublesome, menacing, or oppressive
The comforting presence of relatives did much to exorcise the patient’s feelings of alarm at the thought of undergoing major surgery.

6. 9. Fabricate- to make, manufacture; to make up, invent
My cousin has so much imagination that he can fabricate an excuse that even an experienced principal would believe.
10. irate- angry
The fact that many citizens are irate over the new taxes does not mean that these taxes are unjustifiable.

7. 11. Marauder- a raider, plunderer
The robber barons of an earlier era often acted more like marauders than ethical businessmen in their dealings with the public.
12. Obesity- excessive fatness
Anyone who wants to dine at that outrageously expensive restaurant had better carry a credit card or a truly obese wallet.

8. 13. Pauper- an extremely poor person
I feel like a pauper now that my part time job has come to an end and I no longer have any spending money.
14. Pilfer- to steal in small quantities
Like all literary sneak thieves, he has a truly nasty habit of pilfering other people’s ideas and then claiming them as his own.

9. 15. Rift- a split, break, breach
Unless we repair the rifts in our party and present a united front, we will go down to crushing defeat in the upcoming election.
16. Semblance- a likeness; an outward appearance; an apparition
The few words that she grudgingly muttered were the only semblance of an apology that she offered for her rude behavior.

10. 17. surmount- to overcome, rise above
The fact that Abraham Lincoln was able to surmount the handicap of a limited education does not mean that you should quit school.
18. terminate- to bring to an end
Either party has the right to terminate the agreement that has been made whenever the partnership proves unprofitable.

11. 19. Trite- commonplace; overused, stale
His speech was so trite that one could almost anticipate the phrases he would use next.
20. Usurp- to seize and hold a position
You had no right to usurp for yourself the role of gracious host at my party.

12. Sentences
1. Though I was hurt by the tactless comment, I tried to show pleasure in it by twisting my lips into a feeble__ of a smile.
Semblance
2. During a recent interdenominational service in our community center, the__ of various faiths met to worship as one.
Adherents

13. 3. “ That child may have an angel’s __ features, but at heart he is a little devil,” I exclaimed in disgust.
Cherubic
4. A few of us who disagreed strongly with the committee’s conclusions felt compelled to raise our voices in_.
Dissent
5. Although I am not a particularly argumentative person, last week I found myself involved in a heated__ with a salesclerk.
Altercation

14. Assignment
Choose 10 words from the vocabulary list. Write a sentence using each word. You are not allowed to use the following words:
Semblance
Adherents
Cherubic
Dissent
Altercation