ogle

ogle


source sentence: As they move through the aisles, Sammy, from his work station, first ogles them and then idealizes the prettiest and most confident of the three.


context clues: inference clues, (syn.) gaze, leer, stare, (ant.) look away, Sammy staring at the pretty things is an example of ogling.


definition: to look at amorously, flirtatiously, or impertinently


orginal sentence: Most people ogle at the beauty of supermodels, but Mark found them too skinny and ugly most of the time.



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

bereft

bereft

source sentence: Morrison's mediations between these two theoretical and political camps - between postmodernism and African American social protest - enable her to draw the best from both and make us question the more extremist voices asserting that our postmodern world is bereft of history.

context clues: inference clues, (syn.) lacking, left out, (ant.) abundant in, full of, Being excluded from history is an example of being bereft.

definition: deprive

original sentence: Sally was very depressed because she was bereft of the party everyone else was being invited to.


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

ambivalence

ambivalence

source sentence: This male quip captures something essential about the face of sexism: an ambivalence, or doubled-edged way of thinking, in which women are sometimes treated with contempt and sometimes adored.

context clues: example clues, (syn.) contradictory, equivocal, (ant.) certainty, An example of ambivalence is when an idea is contradicting.

definition: uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things

original sentence: The ideals of predestination and free will put together is full of ambivalence.


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

Reflection 3

Studying for the vocabulary required for this class has had quite an impact on me. Each week I learn several words I would never be familiar with had it not been for this class. I've always though learning new words was fun. I really like expanding my lexicon because not only does it make me sound more intelligent and erudite, but because it's just nice to understand people most of the time. Most words I am not already familiar with don't usually pop up a lot, but when they do, I notice them right away and find use of them. I do not approach vocabulary in a different way, but rather I pay attention more on how I process it. For instance, usually I just read the word and memorize the general meaning of the word. I try to use it in a sentence, and then once I've got it, I move on to the next word. It used to be almost like an innate process for me. If it hadn't been for this class I never would've noticed what exactly my process was for learning new words. I've always thought I was just memorizing the words instead of learning them. I've realized that there is a significan difference between those two concepts. Because of my process to learn, I have embedded those new unfamiliar words into my brain and can now use them with little difficulty. I occasionally use some of the words I have learned from this class. I'm used to using what's already in my vocabulary because I'm not confident in using some of the unfamiliar words, but sometimes I try and succeed in using them correctly. After the test, I find myself remembering most of them. I forget a few only because I know that I will not see them or use them that often. I should go over the words multiple times to learn them, because when they do show up somewhere, I should be able to know what they mean.

scant

scant

source sentence: What I eat for breakfast connects me to the planet, deep into its past with the fossilized remains of plants and animals which are now fuel, as well as into its future, when these non-renewable resources will likely be in scant supply.

context clues: indirect example clues, inference clues, (syn.) lacking, restricted, (ant.) abundant, sufficient, (ex.) A gas tank with hardly any gas left in it is an example gas in scant supply.

definition: barely sufficient in amount or quantity; not abundant; almost inadequate

original sentence: When I came back from my neighbor's house to borrow some milk, I was upset because he gave me a scant cupful.


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

camaraderie

camaraderie
source sentence: They enjoy the outdoors, the camaraderie and the various skills involved.

context clues: indirect example clues, inference clues, (syn.) brotherhood, (ant.) enemy, (ex.) People who are good neighbors and help eachother out are an example of camaraderie.

definition: conradeship; good-fellowship

original sentence: During Stalin's reign over Russia, camaraderie was a huge platform of the nation.


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

contemptuous

contemptuous

source sentence: When, in my 20s, I read the great humanitarian Albert Schweitzer's writings on reverence for life, I became a vegetarian and even more contemptuous of hunters.

context clues: inference clues, (syn.) disdainful, sneering, (ant.) respectful, (ex.) A parent punishing their child is an example of a contemptuous parent.

definition: showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful

original sentence: If the girl did not listen, the old woman threatened to strike here with a contemptuous hand.


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