Vocabulary for Causal Analysis Essays—write a part of speech and definition for
each word based on its use in the essay
“It’s Simply Not Worth It”
meticulous adjective showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise : he
had always been so meticulous about his appearance.
Impeccable adjective (of behavior, performance, or appearance) in accordance with
the highest standards of propriety; faultless : a man of impeccable character.
Scrutinize verb examine or inspect closely and thoroughly : customers were
warned to scrutinize the small print.
Evict verb expel (someone) from a property, esp. with the support of the law : he
had court orders to evict the trespassers from three camps. See note at eject
“Some Lessons from the Assembly Line”
blue-collar adjective of or relating to workers who wear work clothes or
specialized protective clothing, as miners, mechanics, etc. : unskilled blue-collar
operators | their speech and attitudes mark them as blue-collar guys. Compare with
white-collar .
lush adjective (of vegetation) growing luxuriantly : lush greenery and cultivated
fields. See note at profuse .
• opulent and luxurious : a hall of gleaming marble, as lush as a Byzantine church.
• (of color or music) very rich and providing great sensory pleasure : lush
orchestrations.
• (of a woman) very sexually attractive : Marianne, with her lush body and
provocative green eyes.
Cavernous adjective like a cavern in size, shape, or atmosphere : a cavernous
warehouse.
• figurative giving the impression of vast, dark depths : his cavernous eyes
cocksure adjective presumptuously or arrogantly confident.
downsizing verb make (something) smaller : I downsized the rear wheel to 26
inches.
• make (a company or organization) smaller by eliminating staff positions.
• [ intrans. ] (of a company) eliminate staff positions : recession forced many
companies to downsize.
tinged verb (often be tinged)
color slightly : a mass of white blossom tinged with pink | [ trans. ] toward the sun
the sky was tinged crimson.
• figurative have a slight influence on : this visit will be tinged with sadness.
noun
a tendency toward or trace of some color : there was a faint pink tinge to the sky.
• figurative a slight trace of a feeling or quality.
Voyeuristic adjective a person who gains sexual pleasure from watching others
when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity.
• a person who enjoys seeing the pain or distress of others.
discreetly adjverb careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, esp. in order
to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage : we made some discreet inquiries.
• intentionally unobtrusive : a discreet cough.
“The Teacher who Changed my Life”
salty-tongued—blunt, using coarse language
portly adjective) having a stout body; somewhat fat.
tenement noun 1 a room or a set of rooms forming a separate residence within a
house or block of apartments.
• (also tenement house) a house divided into and rented in such separate
residences, esp. one that is run-down and overcrowded.
2 a piece of land held by an owner.
• Law any kind of permanent property, e.g., lands or rents, held from a superior.
askance adverb with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval : the reformers
looked askance at the mystical tradition | a waiter looked askance at Charlie's jeans.
Muse verb be absorbed in thought : he was musing on the problems he faced.
• [with direct speech ] say to oneself in a thoughtful manner : “I think I've seen him
somewhere before,” mused Rachel.
• ( muse on) gaze thoughtfully at.
Noun (in Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of
Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.
• ( muse) a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of
inspiration for a creative artist.
formidable adjective inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large,
powerful, intense, or capable : a formidable opponent.
guerillas noun a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular
fighting, typically against larger regular forces : this small town fell to the guerrillas |
[as adj. ] guerrilla warfare.
mortified verb 1 (often be mortified) cause (someone) to feel embarrassed,
ashamed, or humiliated : [ trans. ] she was mortified to see her wrinkles in the
mirror | [as adj. ] ( mortifying) she refused to accept this mortifying disgrace.
2 subdue (the body or its needs and desires) by self-denial or discipline : return to
heaven by mortifying the flesh
balky adjective reluctant; uncooperative : he was trying to get his balky horse to
move.
spits noun 1 a long, thin metal rod pushed through meat in order to hold and turn it
while it is roasted over an open fire : chicken cooked on a spit.
serpentine adjective of or like a serpent or snake : serpentine coils.
• winding and twisting like a snake : serpentine country lanes.
• complex, cunning, or treacherous : his charm was too subtle and serpentine for me.
emphatically adverb in a forceful way.
• [as submodifier ] without doubt; clearly : Jane, though born in California, feels
emphatically Canadian.
• [ sentence adverb ] used to give emphasis to a statement : Greg is emphatically not
a slacker.
eulogy noun a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly,
typically someone who has just died : his good friend delivered a brief eulogy.