Vocabulary #3

Accolade: a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction.

Ex. He does not praise his employees; silence is his highest accolade.

Acerbity: a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness.

Ex. The customer made his displeasure known with more acerbity than was necessary

Attrition: the act or process of weakening and gradually defeating an enemy through constant attacks and continued pressure over a long period of time

Ex. Attrition is high among social workers because of the difficult work and poor pay.

Bromide: a statement that is intended to make people feel happier or calmer but that is not original or effective.

 Ex. His speech had nothing more to offer than the usual bromides about how everyone needs to work together.

Chauvinist: an attitude that the members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex or that you’re very nationalist of your country.

Ex. Most terrorists are very chauvinistic when it they explain their reasons behind their attacks..

Chronic:  happening or existing frequently or most of the time.

Ex. Epilepsy a chronic issue in my family.

Expound: to explain or state something to give details about something.

Ex. The article expounds the virtues of a healthy diet.

Factionalism: the splitting of a group into factions or conflict between factions.

Ex. Much of the United States is considered to be in use of factionalism.

Immaculate: perfectly clean or having no flaw or error

Ex. My brother considers himself quite Immaculate.

Imprecation: an offensive word or phrase that people say when they are angry

Ex. He muttered imprecations under his breath.

Ineluctable: impossible to avoid or evade

Ex. During the eruption in Pompeii the ash was quite Ineluctable.

Mercurial: changing moods quickly and often; changing often, very changeable, very lively and quick. Basically unpredictable.

Ex. The guerrilla warfare in the forest was intensely mercurial.

Palliate: to make the effects of something, such as an illness less painful, harmful, or harsh

 Ex. The morphine palliated the pain that the patient was experiencing.

Protocol: a system of rules that explain the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in formal situations

Ex. The military follows a strict protocol.

Resplendent: having great beauty and splendor

Ex. The town was very Resplendent at first.

Stigmatize: to describe or regard something, such as a characteristic or group of people in a way that shows strong disapproval.

Ex. A legal system that stigmatizes juveniles as criminals.

Sub Rosa: "under the rose", used to indicate secrecy in modern times.

Ex. Much of the agent's work was done Sub Rosa.

Vainglory: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements.

Ex. They may have won the competition but they were very vainglory afterwards.

Vestige: the last small part that remains of something that existed before

Ex. A few strange words carved on a tree were the only vestige of the lost colony of Roanoke

Volition: the power to make your own choices or decisions

Ex. Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder marked by recurrent tics and vocalizations that are beyond the sufferer's volition or control.