Lesson XII
 obsequious: cringing, submissive

Adj. (ob-SEE-kee-us)
Spanish: obsequioso
 The adjective obsequious comes from the Latin obequiosus. An
obsequious person is a cringing, submissive follower, so overwilling to please that it is repulsive. Jonathan Swift wrote in
Gulliver’s Travels that “zealots prove always the most
obsequious and subservient to the will and passions of their
master.”
 ignominy: disgrace

N. (IG-no-many)
Spanish: ignominia
The English noun ignominy (the adjective is
ignominious), comes from the Latin ignominia, and
refers to deep humiliation, disgrace, dishonor. In
George Orwell’s Animal Farm we find that “within five
minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious
retreat.”
 acquiescence: passive compliance

N. (ah-kwee-ESS-ence) Spanish: acquiescencia

To acquiesce, from the Latin acquiescere, is to comply, passively
and obediently. We understand even better when we learn that
acquiesce comes from the Latin quiescere, to be quiet. It is a
relative of the English adjective quiescent. In Melville’s Moby Dick
Ishmael says that “as all my remonstrances produced no effect on
Queequeg, I was obliged to acquiesce.”
 impassive: expressionless, without emotion

Adj. (im-PASS-ive)
Spanish: impasible

To be impassive, from the Latin impassibilis, is to
be expressionless and without emotion. In Bernard
Malamad’s novel The Natural we read that “His
rocklike frame was motionless, his face impassive,
unsmiling, dark.”
 impending: about to happen

Adj. (im-PEN-ding)
Spanish: pendiente

The English adjective impending, from the Latin
impendere, refers to things that are about to
happen, that are hanging over us. Kenneth
Grahame wrote in The Wind in the Willows that “he
cried in despair, plumping down on a seat, with
tears impending.”
Caesar’s English XII
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
obsequious: cringing, submissive
ignominy: disgrace
acquiescence: passive
compliance
impassive: expressionless,
without emotion
impending: about to happen
1.
From Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the
Native
Venn sat with lips __________ closed.
a. acquiescently
b. obsequiously
c. ignominiously
d. impassively
1.
From Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the
Native
Venn sat with lips __________ closed.
a. acquiescently
b. obsequiously
c. ignominiously
d. impassively
2. From Thorton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis
Rey
It was intended as an __________ flattery to the
Condesa, and was untrue.
a.
b.
c.
d.
ignominious
obsequious
impassive
impending
2. From Thorton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis
Rey
It was intended as an __________ flattery to the
Condesa, and was untrue.
a.
b.
c.
d.
ignominious
obsequious
impassive
impending
3. From Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim
Andy shrugged his shoulders, and gave an
___________ whistle.
a.
b.
c.
d.
acquiescent
ignominious
impending
obsequious
3. From Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim
Andy shrugged his shoulders, and gave an
___________ whistle.
a.
b.
c.
d.
acquiescent
ignominious
impending
obsequious
The Grammar of Vocabulary:
obsequious, an adjective.
The obsequious toady flattered Caesar every day.