Level FVocabulary Unit #2

Focus Words

bombastic callow epitome

ingratiate occult surmise

bombastic= negative

(adj) pompous; high-sounding language pretentiousinflatedMy teacher wants me to write clear, direct responses, not just fill up lines with bombastic blabber.

bombastichttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bombastic

pretentious-http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pretentiouspompous-http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pompous?s=t

OriginsEither frombombast(padding, stuffing), or from middle name of Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus), who often used extremely arrogant speaking style.

Other Formsboasted bombastically- Adverbbombastical politician- Adjective

callow=negative

(adj) without experience; immature; lacking sophistication and poiseinexperiencegreenFans complained about the bad calls made by the callow NFL referees.

callowhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/callow?s=t

No Feathers OriginsOld Englishcalubald; probably from Latincalvusbald. This was extended to mean unfledged, which led to the present sense immature.

Other Formscomparative adjective:callower(especially of a young person) inexperienced and immaturewithout hairwithout feathers

epitome=positive

(n) A condensed account; an instance that represents a larger realitymodelarchetypeThe Queen of England is the epitome of a proper lady.

epitomehttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epitome?s=t

abstract or digest

Other Forms

plural noun:epitomesOrigin:early 16th century: via Latin from Greekepitom, fromepitemneinabridge, fromepiin addition +temneinto cut.

ingratiate=negative

(v) To make oneself agreeable to and accepted by others cozy up to gain favor by others (sometimes used in a derogatory manner)

Betsy tried to ingratiate herself to her new team members by bringing them cupcakes.

ingratiate http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ingratiate

Other Forms

Ingratiating adjectiveIngratiatingly adverbIngratiation nounIngratiatory adjectiveingratiated,ingratiating transitive verbOrigin:early 17th century: from Latinin gratiaminto favor, on the pattern of obsolete Italian ingratiare, earlier form ofingraziare.

occult=negative

(adj) mysterious, magical(verb) to hide or concealsupernaturalesoteric

There were rumors that the old woman had occult powers.

occulthttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/occult

esoterichttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esoteric

abstruse -difficult to comprehend

Other Forms

Origin:late 15th century (as a verb): from Latinoccultaresecrete, frequentative ofocculere conceal, based oncelareto hide; the adjective and noun fromoccult-covered over, from the verbocculere.occultly- adverboccultness- nounocculted,occulting,occults- verb

surmise=negative

(v) to guess without support or proof(n) Idea that lacks proofinfergatherAfter looking at the test scores, I surmise that some students did not study.

surmisehttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surmise

Other FormsOrigin:late Middle English (in the senses formal allegation and allege formally): from Anglo-Norman French and Old Frenchsurmise, feminine past participle ofsurmettreaccuse, from late Latinsupermittereput in afterward, fromsuper-over +mitteresend.verb:surmise; 3rd person present:surmises; past tense:surmised; past participle: surmised; gerund or present participle:surmisingnoun:surmise; plural noun:surmises

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