Vocabulary - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Vocabulary

A Lesson Before Dying

List FourSlide2

Timidly

Adverb

In a shy or bashful manner

Quietly, with a lack of self-confidenceTimmy wasn’t sure if he was doing the math problem correctly, so he timidly answered the question aloud in front of the entire class.Slide3

Maneuver

Noun, Verb

Highly coordinated movements

In order to get a clear shot at the robber, the policemen had to maneuver into position past the stand of trees.Slide4

Privilege

Noun

A special advantage not enjoyed by everyone

If you are very snooty, you probably don’t allow just anyone the privilege of being your friend.My dad always tells me that driving my car is a privilege,

and not a right, and that he can take it away from me at any time.Slide5

Refrain

Verb

When you have a sudden impulse to do something, and you have stopped yourself from doing it

To resist doing somethingOne of my classmates burped in our quiet classroom, and it was hard for the rest of us to refrain from laughing. Slide6

Stagger

Verb

To walk unsteadily or with great difficulty

To waverTo overcome with shockI was walking to my car and I saw a man stagger out of a bar, looking like he was about to fall over sideways. I was willing to bet that he had a few too many drinks that night.Slide7

Content

Adjective

Satisfied or happy with things as they are

I have learned to be content no matter the circumstances, because there is always something good to be found in each situation.Slide8

Clasp

Verb, Noun

To hold tightly

A fastenerHer necklace fell off and was lost forever on the ground when the clasp broke.When I asked students to turn in their cell phones, they all

clasped

onto them tightly, not wanting to be without them for a couple of hours.Slide9

Emphasis

Noun

Main focus

Today in practice our emphasis is going to be on serving, because we missed five serves in our game last week, and we definitely need to improve on that skill.Slide10

Tone

Noun

The author’s

attitude toward his subjectEX:PositiveNegativeHumorous

Sarcastic

Nervous

ExcitedSlide11

Frail

Adjective

Physically weak

Delicate and fragileMy grandmother’s favorite vase is too frail to use for football practice – something my brother learned the hard way.Slide12

Grudgingly

Adverb

In a reluctant manner

Feeling resentful and annoyed while doing something, probably because you’ve been made to do itThe man behind the counter at the deli glared at me and handed me my sandwich grudgingly. I had to wonder what I did to make him so grouchy and mad at me.Slide13

Humanitarianism

Noun

The promotion of human welfare and the advancement of social reforms

The mayor gives a humanitarianism award each year to the person who has done the most to help the residents of the city.Slide14

Connotation

Noun

The implied or suggested meaning of a word

EX:Positive – words that make people feel goodNegative – words that provoke a negative emotional response

Neutral – words that cause no emotional reaction at all

A political boss might not want to be called “boss” because of the negative

connotations

associated with the word.

The word “home” evokes a different response from someone who came from a happy childhood and home than that evoked in someone who had an unhappy home life.Slide15

Relent

Verb

To give in, to influence or pressure

To let up, soften, yield, or give inBeing unwilling to relent is a good qualification for a sales person, because they will often keep bugging you until they’ve made the sale.Slide16

Humiliate

Verb

To make some feel ashamed or stupid, often publicly

I was humiliated to learn that I had gone the entire school day with my zipper down, and no one had told me. Slide17

Wager

Verb

To bet

I’ll wager twenty dollars that the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.Slide18

Peer

Verb

To look searchingly

We peered into the back of the shop to see whether a salesman was around.Slide19

Precede

Verb

To come before

A short speech will precede the dinner.When marching into the room, the younger kids precede the older ones.Slide20

Waver

Verb

To move back and forth

To show indecisionI continued to waver on my decision about what to do on Friday night – meet my friends for dinner, or stay home with my family? One minute I wanted to go out with my friends, and the next I wanted to spend a quiet night at home.Slide21

Cynical

Adjective

Believing the worst about people

Seeing the bad in every situationIf you think public officials are nothing but a bunch of greedy buffoons, then you have a cynical

 attitude about politics.