Ames Middle School Extended Learning Program: Letters About Literature Cluster Group

May 14, 2012

aspire verb \ə-ˈspī(-ə)r\

1: to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal <aspired to a career in medicine>

as·pir·er noun

Aspire to great deeds, you are capable of great things.

Origin of ASPIRE: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French aspirer, from Latin aspirare, literally, to breathe upon, from ad- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use: 14th century

Synonyms: intend, calculate, contemplate, design, go, plan, propose

Antonyms: decline, descend, dip, drop, fall (off), plunge

May 7, 2012

malleable adjective \ˈma-lē-ə-bəl, ˈmal-yə-bəl, ˈma-lə-bəl\

1: capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers

2 a : capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences

b : having a capacity for adaptive change

mal·lea·bil·i·ty noun

The cult leader took advantage of the malleable, compliant personalities of his followers.

Origin of MALLEABLE: Middle English malliable, from Medieval Latin malleabilis, from malleare to hammer, from Latin malleus hammer

First Known Use: 14th century

Synonyms: plastic, moldable, shapeable, waxy

Antonyms: established, fixed, immutable, set, unchangeable

April 23, 2012

capricious adjective \kə-ˈpri-shəs, -ˈprē-\

: governed or characterized by caprice : impulsive, unpredictable

ca·pri·cious·ly adverb ca·pri·cious·ness noun

The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.

Origin of CAPRICIOUS: First Known Use: 1601

Synonyms: fickle, changeable, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, skittish, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, variable, volatile

Antonyms: certain, constant, immutable, predictable, settled, stable

March 27, 2012

deleterious adjective \ˌde-lə-ˈtir-ē-əs\

: harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way

<deleterious effects> <deleterious to health>

del·e·te·ri·ous·ly adverb

del·e·te·ri·ous·ness noun

The chemical is deleterious to the environment.

Origin of DELETERIOUS: Greek dēlētērios, from dēleisthai to hurt

First Known Use: 1643

Synonyms: adverse, bad, damaging, dangerous, harmful, detrimental, evil, hurtful, ill, injurious,

ntonyms: benign, harmless, innocent, innocuous, safe

March 19, 2012

quell verb \ˈkwel\

transitive verb

1: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity

2: quiet, pacify <quell fears>

quell·er noun

The National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances.

Origin of QUELL: Middle English, to kill, quell, from Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old High German quellen to torture, kill, quāla torment, Lithuanian gelti to hurt

First Known Use: 13th century

Synonyms: crush, quash, repress, squash, squelch, subdue, suppress

March 5, 2012

exemplary adjective \ig-ˈzem-plə-rē\

1a : serving as a pattern

b : deserving imitation : commendable

exemplary>; also : deserving imitation because of excellence

2 : serving as a warning : monitory

exemplary punishment>

3 : serving as an example, instance, or illustration

exemplary of her style>

ex·em·plar·i·ty noun

As a hospital volunteer you have given exemplary service to your community.

First Known Use: circa 1507

Synonyms: classic, definitive, model, imitable, quintessential, textbook

February 27, 2012

nebulous adjective \ˈne-byə-ləs\

1: of, relating to, or resembling a nebula : nebular

2: indistinct, vague

neb·u·lous·ly adverb neb·u·lous·ness noun

The president of the company made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold.

Origin of NEBULOUS: Latin nebulosus misty, from nebula

First Known Use: 1784

Related to NEBULOUS

Synonyms: ambiguous, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, equivocal, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, obscure,

Antonyms: accessible, clear, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal

February 20, 2012

frenetic adjective \fri-ˈne-tik\

: frenzied, frantic

fre·net·i·cal·ly adverb

fre·net·i·cism noun

The celebration was noisy and frenetic.

The pace of the game was frenetic as the home team tried to overcome a 10 point deficit in the final two minutes of the game.

Origin of FRENETIC: Middle English frenetik insane, from Anglo-French, from Latin phreneticus, modification of Greek phrenitikos, from phrenitis inflammation of the brain, from phren-, phrēn diaphragm, mind

First Known Use: 14th century

Synonyms: feverish, frantic, furious, frenzied, wild

Antonyms: relaxed

February 13, 2012

commiserate verb \kə-ˈmi-zə-ˌrāt\

com·mis·er·at·ed com·mis·er·at·ing

intransitive verb

: to feel or express sympathy : condole

<commiserates with them on their loss>

transitive verb

: to feel or express sorrow or compassion for

com·mis·er·at·ing·ly adverb com·mis·er·a·tion noun

com·mis·er·a·tive adjective

The players commiserated over their loss in the championship game.

Origin : Latin commiseratus, past participle of commiserari, from com- + miserari to pity, from miser wretched

First Known Use: 1594

February 6, 2012

affable adjective \ˈa-fə-bəl\

1: being pleasant and at ease in talking to others affable host>

2: characterized by ease and friendliness affable manner>

af·fa·bil·i·ty noun af·fa·bly adverb

One reason he is so popular is that he's such an affable person.

Origin of AFFABLE: Middle English affabyl, from Anglo-French, from Latin affabilis, from affari to speak to, from ad- + fari to speak

First Known Use: 15th century

Synonyms: easygoing, breezy, happy-go-lucky, mellow

Antonyms: high-strung, uptight

January 30, 2012

furtive \ˈfər-tiv\ adjective

1a : done by stealth : surreptitious

b : expressive of stealth : sly furtive look about him>

2 : obtained underhandedly : stolen

fur·tive·ly adverb fur·tive·ness noun

He cast a furtive glance in our direction.

We exchanged furtive smiles across the table.

Origin of FURTIVE: French or Latin; French furtif, from Latin furtivus, from furtum theft, from fur thief, from or akin to Greek phōr thief; akin to Greek pherein to carry — more at bear

First Known Use: 1612

Synonyms: sneaky, shady, shifty, slippery, sly, stealthy

Antonyms: open, overt, public

January 23, 2012

fortuitous

adj \fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü-, fər-\

1: occurring by chance

2a : fortunate, lucky

b : coming or happening by a lucky chance

for·tu·itous·ly adverb for·tu·itous·ness noun

Example : His presence there was entirely fortuitous.

Origin of FORTUITOUS: Latin fortuitus; akin to Latin fort-, fors chance

First Known Use: 1653

Synonyms: fortunate, happy, lucky, providential

Antonyms: hapless, ill-fated, ill-starred, luckless, unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky

January 9, 2012

temerity \tə-ˈmer-ə-tē\ - noun

plural te·mer·i·ties

1: unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition : rashness

2: a rash or reckless act

He was punished for his temerity.

Origin of TEMERITY

Middle English temeryte, from Latin temeritas, from temere blindly, recklessly; akin to Old High German demar darkness, Latin tenebrae, Sanskrit tamas

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to TEMERITY

Synonyms: audacity, brashness, brass, brazenness, cheek, cheekiness, nerve, presumptuousness, sauciness

December 12, 2011

December 5, 2011

Superfluous \su̇-ˈpər-flü-əs\ adjective

1a : exceeding what is sufficient or necessary : extra

b : not needed : unnecessary

2obsolete : marked by wastefulness : extravagant

su·per·flu·ous·ly adverb su·per·flu·ous·ness noun

He cleared off all the superfluous stuff on his desk to make room for the new computer.

Origin of SUPERFLUOUS: Middle English, from Latin superfluus, literally, running over, from superfluere to overflow, from super- + fluere to flow — more at fluid

First Known Use: 15th century

Synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory, spare

September 26, 2011

tumultuous [too-muhl-choo-uhs] adjective

1. being in a state of agitation or tumult; disturbed: turbulent feelings or emotions.

2. characterized by, or showing disturbance, disorder, etc.: the turbulent years.

3. given to acts of violence and aggression: the turbulent young soldiers.

Synonyms: agitated, tumultuous, violent, tempestuous, disordered.

Date :

"Tumultuous" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321.

September 12, 2011

catalyst (kat-l-ist] noun

1.Chemistry . a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.

2.something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.

3.a person or thing that precipitates an event or change:

His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution.

4.a person whose talk, enthusiasm, or energy causes others to be more friendly, enthusiastic, or energetic.

The bombing attack was the catalyst for war.

She was proud to be a catalyst for reform in the government.

Origin: 1900–05

Monday, November 1, 2010

Letters About Literature Cluster Group