adumbrate- to represent in outline, or to foreshadow. In the movie The Right Stuff, the sinking of the second space capsule was adumbrated when the model of it sank to the bottom of the glass of beer.
apotheosis- the climax or highest point of development of something. The Monty Python movies tend to not have an apotheosis, they just end.
ascetic- a lifestyle of extreme self discipline. The ascetic jews are perhaps the most true to the religion than most jews.
bauble- a small trinket. In the book The Horned King, by Lloyd Alexander, Eilonwy has a bauble.
beguile- to charm or enchant somebody deceptively. Fox news beguiles its watchers into siding with its views.
burgeon- to grow rapidly, or exponentially. Yellowstone’s deer population burgeoned when the local wolf population there was hunted to extinction.
complement- a thing that completes or brings to perfection. That 35 degree angle complements that 55 degree one quite nicely.
contumacious- willfully or stubbornly disobedient to authority. Rosa Parks was rightfully contumacious when she disobeyed the bus driver by not leaving her seat
curmudgeon- a cantankerous old man (or person in general). In Up, the main character pretends to be a curmudgeon to hide his sadness in life.
didactic- intending to teach, usually moralistic teaching. People like Aristotle and religious teachers give didactic lectures
disingenuous- to be insincere, usually by treating somebody like they are at a different level of understanding than you know they are. It is really obstreperous when you get a disingenuous substitute teacher in high school that treats you like you are four.
exculpate- to show somebody as not guilty. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus tries to exculpate Tom from wrongful blame.
faux pas- an embarrassing or tactless remark in a social situation. Many high school students do not want their parents around in case they make faux pas remarks about them.
fulminate- to vehemently protest. Teachers across the nation are fulminating about the common core curriculum.
fustian- pompous writing. After the normally amiable professor one the nobel prize, his emails became full of fustian.
hauteur- disdainful pride. In Pride and Prejudice, Mr Darcy seemed full hauteur at first.
inhibit- to restrain. Inhibitor proteins make it impossible for our DNA to be used, until detached by a ligand.
jeremiad- a long, mournful lamentation. In writing our college personal statements, we must make sure that they are not jeremiads, so that the college does not just think that we are whining.
opportunist- a person who takes advantage of a situation for self gain. Most robbers are just opportunists.
unconscionable- Not right or reasonable. The USC shirt that Mr. Nesper wore on friday was an unconscionable abomination.
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