Lesson 6- Clarity and Vagueness
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
adumbrate
arcane
covert
educe
fathom
impervious
7. limpid
8. manifest
9. nebulous
10. translucent
6.
1. adumbrate (verb)
a.
b.
c.
To give a sketchy outline of.
To disclose partially or guardedly.
To prefigure indistinctly; foreshadow.
Related Word: adumbration
Ex: The details of the marketing plan were
kept secret; but the company president
briefly adumbrated the basic strategy at
the staff meeting.
2. arcane (adj)

Known or understood only by a few;
esoteric.
Ex: The system if addressing English
nobility by different titles seemed
arcane to Americans.
3. covert (adj; noun)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Concealed; hidden; secret.
Covered or covered over; sheltered.
A covering or cover.
A covered place or shelter; hiding
place.
Related Words: covertly; covertness.
Ex: The man was arrested for making
covert sales of arms to rebel forces.
4. educe (verb)
a.
b.
To draw or bring out, elicit.
To assume or work out from given
facts; deduce.
Related Words: educible; education.
Ex: The director educed an emotional
performance from the seemingly
unresponsive actor.
5. fathom (verb)
a.
b.
c.
To get to the bottom of and understand.
To determine the depth of; sound.
A unit of length equal to six feet used in
the measurement of marine depths.
Related Words: fathomable; fathomless.
Ex: With painstaking effort Marion
ultimately fathomed the confusing
passage in The Canterbury Tales.
6. impervious (adj)
a.
b.
c.
Incapable of being penetrated.
Incapable of being affected.
Not open to argument or suggestion.
Related Words: imperviously;
imperviousness.
Ex: My new raincoat is impervious to water
and wind.
7. limpid (adj)
a.
b.
c.
Characterized by transparent clearness.
Easily intelligible.
Calm and untroubled; serene.
Related Words: limpidly; limpidness.
Ex: Snorkeling in limpid water allows one to
see the variety of fish in the ocean.
8. manifest (adj; verb)
a.
b.
c.
Clearly apparent to the sight or
understanding; obvious.
To show or demonstrate plainly; reveal.
To be evidence of; prove.
Related Words: manifestation; manifestly.
Ex: The gratefulness of the people rescued
from the storm was manifest in every
smiling face.
9. nebulous (adj)
a.
b.
Lacking definite form or limits; vague.
Cloudy, misty, or hazy.
Related Words: nebulously; nebulousness.
Ex: Until Monica could confirm her theory,
she kept the nebulous idea to herself.
10. translucent (adj)

Transmitting light but causing sufficient
diffusion to make impossible the
perception of distinct images.
Related Words: translucence; translucently.
Ex: Behind the translucent window shade,
shadowed figures moved back and forth.