It’s Vocab
Time
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Brevity
• (n.)
shortness
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Brevity – L.
brevitatem (nom.
brevitas), from
brevis “short,
low, little,
shallow”
Brevity Mnemonic
The brevity of the test
pleasantly surprised the
students who had thought
it would be longer.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Comport
•(v.) to conduct
or bear oneself,
behave; to be in
agreement
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Comport – M.Fr.
comporter "endure,
behave," from L.
comportare "to bring
together," from com"together" + portare
“to carry”
Comport Mnemonic
At prom and other school
functions, students should
comport themselves with
their best behavior.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Concise
•(adj.)
expressing
much in a few
words
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Concise – L. concisus
"cut off, brief," pp. of
concidere "to cut off,"
from com- intensive
prefix + caedere "to
cut," from PIE *kae-id“to strike”
Concise Mnemonic
The directions were
concise and easy to
follow on the brownie
mix.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Demure
•(adj.) sober or
serious in
manner,
modest
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Demure – O.Fr.
meur "discreet,"
from L. maturus
"mature." The dein this word is of
uncertain meaning.
Demure Mnemonic
His demure expression
indicated that he had
gotten bad news from the
doctor.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Depreciation
• (n.) a
lessoning in
value ; a
belittling
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Depreciation –
L.L. depretiatus,
past participle of
depretiare, from
L. de- + pretium
price, value
Depreciation Mnemonic
Getting in a crash will
depreciate the value of
your car.
Don’t forget your words!
It’s Vocab
Time
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Deteriorate
•(v.) to lower in
quality or
value; to wear
away
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Deteriorate – L.L.
deterioratus, pp. of
deteriorare "get worse,"
from L. deterior
"worse," contrastive of
*deter "bad, lower,"
from de- "down."
Deteriorate Mnemonic
Alzheimer’s disease deteriorates
a person's memory and their
ability to communicate and carry
out daily activities.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Divulge
•(v.) to tell; to
make public
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Divulge – L. divulgare
"publish, make
common," from dis"apart" + vulgare
"make common
property," from vulgus
“common people.”
Divulge Mnemonic
The spy could not
divulge the top secret
information.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Enlightened
• (adj.) free from
ignorance and false
ideas; possessing
sound
understanding
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Enlightened – (O.E.
had inlihtan), "to
remove the dimness or
blindness (usually
figurative) from one's
eyes or heart," from
en- + lighten
Enlightened Mnemonic
It is best to be enlightened
about the issues and the
candidates before you go to
the polls to vote.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Forestall
•(v.) to
prevent by
acting first
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Forestall – O.E.
foresteall "an
ambush, a
waylaying," from
fore "before" + steall
"standing position"
Forestall Mnemonic
Some people are
trying to forestall stem
cell research.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Garble
•(v.) to distort in
such a way as to
make
unintelligible
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Garble – Anglo-Fr. garbeler
"to sift," from M.L. and It.
garbellare, from Arabic
gharbala "to sift and select
spices," related to kirbal
"sieve," perhaps from L.
cribellum, dim. of cribrum
"sieve"
Garble Mnemonic
Paula Abdul was criticized for
garbling her speech on
“American Idol” and people
thought she was on drugs or
drunk while filming.
Don’t forget your words!
It’s Vocab
Time
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Proponent
•(n.) one who
puts forward a
proposal; one
who supports a
cause or belief
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Proponent – L.
proponentem
(nom.
proponens), prp.
of proponere
"put forward"
Proponent Mnemonic
President Barack
Obama is a proponent
of health care reform.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Quaver
•(v.) to
shake,
tremble; to
trill
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Quaver – probably
related to Low Ger.
quabbeln "tremble,"
possibly of imitative
origin. Meaning "sing in
trills or quavers" first
recorded 1538. The noun
meaning "musical note"
is first recorded 1570.
Quaver Mnemonic
The earthquake caused
the building to quaver
and collapse.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Recoil
•(v.) to spring
back, shrink
•(n.) the act of
springing back
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Recoil – O.Fr.
reculer " to go
back, recede,
retreat, " from V.L.
*reculare, from L.
re- "back" + culus
“backside.”
Recoil Mnemonic
The Slinky is a very
popular toy that can
stretch and recoil.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Recoup
•(v.) to
make up
for, regain
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Recoup – Fr.
recouper "to cut
back" (12c.), from
O.Fr. re- "back" +
couper "to cut,"
from coup "a
blow"
Recoup Mnemonic
Some people believe that
the war in Iraq is a way to
recoup the US loss on
September 11th.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Reek
• (n.) an unpleasant
smell
• (v.) to give off
unpleasant smells;
to give a strong
impression
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Reek – O.E. rec
(Anglian), riec (W.Saxon),
"smoke from burning
material," probably from
O.N. reykr (cf. Reykjavik,
lit. "smoky bay. " Sense
of "stench" is attested
1659, via the notion of
"that which rises."
Reek Mnemonic
Skunks reek when they
spray in defense to
protect themselves
from harm.
Don’t forget your words!
It’s Vocab
Time
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Relentless
•(adj.)
unyielding,
harsh, without
pity
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Relentless – from re-,
intensive prefix + L. lentus
"slow, viscous, supple."
Sense of "become less
harsh or cruel" first
recorded 1526. The notion
is probably of a hard heart
melting with pity.
Relentless is from 1592.
Relentless Mnemonic
Some lawyers and
judges can be relentless
when the defendant
causes harm to an
innocent bystander.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Rivulet
•(n.) a small
stream
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Rivulet – It. rivoletto,
dim. of rivolo, itself a
dim., from L. rivus
"stream, brook," from
*reiwos, lit. "that which
flows," from PIE base
*rei- "to flow"
Rivulet Mnemonic
When camping in the
woods, you might regret
placing your tent by a
rivulet that breeds
mosquitoes.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Squander
•(v.) to spend
foolishly,
waste
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Squander – of
unknown origin;
Shakespeare used it
1593 in "Merchant of
Venice" with a sense
of "to be scattered
over a wide area."
Squander Mnemonic
Celebrities are famous
for squandering their
money on frivolous
items.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Staccato
•(adj.) detached
or disconnected
in sound or style
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Staccato – It. staccato, lit.
"detached, disconnected,"
from pp. of staccare "to
detach," shortened form of
distaccare "separate,
detach," from M.Fr.
destacher, from O.Fr.
destachier "to detach"
Staccato Mnemonic
The neighbors grew tired
of the staccato sound of
the drums and called the
police.
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
•Statute
•(n.) a law
Vocabulary Workshop, Level D Etymologies: Unit 11
• Statute – O.Fr. statut, from
L.L. statutum "a law,
decree," noun use of neuter
pp. of L. statuere "enact,
establish," from status
"condition, position," from
stare "to stand" from PIE
base *sta- "to stand"
Statute Mnemonic
Mr. Brown, the assistant
principals, and security
enforce the statutes on
Corona’s campus.
Don’t forget your words!