Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Today's Vocabulary

Opine

to express an opinion

"The talk show host audience member opined that the guest under discussion was a pathetic excuse for a human being."

 

Opprobrious

disgraceful; contemptuous

"Despite his opprobrious addiction to gambling, the congressman was reelected."

 

Quadruped

animal having four feet

"Adrianna wanted to get a pet bird, but I begged for a quadruped."

 

Renegade

1. someone who chooses to live outside of laws or conventions

2. traitor

"The revolutionary Americans were renegades and chose to rebel against British law."

 

Rejoinder

response

"To everything Beastie said, Adora had a clever and impertinent rejoinder."

 

Vocabulary Sentences

Svitak, Adora

The duchess opined that she strongly disliked the leaden snuffbox her husband had given her.

 

"My dear, your plots to poison me are opprobrious," she trilled. "And besides, lead causes slowness in brain development, not immediate death."

 

"But I'm not trying to poison you," the duke protested. "I thought you would like the picture on the top."

 

"It's blurry and blotted," the duchess said in a dismissive voice. "I could just barely tell that the creature in the picture, whatever it is, had four feet."

 

"I thought that it was a very skillfully painted quadruped," the duke said in an offended voice. "And I for one think it was very good for a cat."

 

"Well you are a renegade and you choose not to listen to anything the prominent art critics say," the duchess said contemptuously. 

 

"Huh?" asked the Duke, who had not been listening.

 

"Oh, what an intelligent rejoinder," the duchess said sarcastically. "Why don't you just go and stick your head in a chamber pot."

Friday, March 07, 2008

Today's Vocabulary

 

Vituperate

to abuse verbally

 

Superannuated

too old, obsolete, outdated

 

Prestidigation

Sleight of hand

 

Phalanx

Massed group of soldiers/people

 

Multifarious

diverse