Chapter 7 Word List
ABSTRUSE (ab STROOS) adj hard to understand
- The professor’s article, on the “meaning of meaning,” was abstruse. Michael couldn’t
even pronounce the words in it. - Nuclear physics is a subject that is too abstruse for most people.
AFFRONT (uh FRUNT) n insult; a deliberate act of disrespect
- Jim’s dreadful score on the back nine was an affront to the ancient game of golf.
- Amanda thought she was paying Liz a compliment when she said that she liked her new hair
color, but Liz took it as an affront because she was upset about the greenish spots the hair
stylist couldn’t cover.
Affront can also be a verb.
- Laura affronted me by continually sticking out her tongue as I addressed the class.
Rude and disrespectful behavior can be described as effrontery (i FRUN tuh ree).
ALLEVIATE (uh LEE vee ayt) v to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make
bearable; to lessen
- Visiting the charming pet cemetery alleviated the woman’s grief over the death of her
canary. - Aspirin alleviates headache pain. When your headache comes back, take some more
aspirin.
ALLOCATE (AL uh kayt) v to distribute; to assign; to allot
- The event had been a big failure, and David, Aaliyah, and Jan spent several hours attempting
to allocate the blame. In the end, they decided it had all been Jan’s fault. - The office manager had allocated just seven paper clips for our entire department.
BLUSTER (BLUS tur) v to roar; to be loud; to be tumultuous
- The cold winter wind blustered all day long, rattling the windows and chilling everyone to the
bone.
A day during which the wind blusters would be a blustery (BLUS tur ee) day.
- The golfers happily blamed all their bad shots on the blustery weather.
Bluster can also be a noun.
- Sadie was so used to her mother’s angry shouting that she was able to tune out the
bluster and get along with her work.
BOMBAST (BAHM bast) n pompous or pretentious speech or writing