Asvab Word Knowledge #2

Front 1

discourage
ex: measures to discourage the use of cars in cities.
ex: what she said didn't discourage me.

Back 1

1. to try to prevent something from happening, especially because you do not approve of it or think it is harmful.
2. to make someone feel less confident or hopeful.

Front 2

example of "discourage someone from doing something"

Back 2

We hope the bad weather won't discourage people from coming.

Front 3

discriminate
ex: Employers are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of gender.

Back 3

1. to treat someone unfairly because of their religion, race, or other personal features.
2. to recognize the difference between things.

Front 4

example of "discriminate against"
example of "discriminate something from something"
example of "discriminate between"

Back 4

1. Caulfield claimed they had discriminated against him because of his nationality.
2. It can be difficult to discriminate one sound from another.
3. Long-range missile attacks simply cannot discriminate between military and civilian targets.

Front 5

distinguish

Back 5

1. to recognize the differences between things.
2. to be a feature that makes someone or something clearly different from other similar people or things

Front 6

example of "distinguish between"
example of "distinguish something from something"
example of "distinguish someone/something from someone/something"

Back 6

1. They concluded that even three-year-olds are able to distinguish between causes and effects.
2. It's very difficult to distinguish satire from other types of comedy.
3. There is very little to distinguish it from the hundreds of other websites devoted to this subject.

Front 7

what is the formal definition of distinguish?
ex: I could not distinguish her face in the darkness.

Back 7

FORMAL to be able to hear, see, smell, or taste something clearly.

Front 8

what does it mean to distinguish yourself?
ex: He distinguished himself during the war.

Back 8

to do something very well so that people notice and respect you.

Front 9

bias
ex: Ideally we'd choose judges who are without political bias.

Back 9

1. an attitude that you have that makes you treat someone in a way that is unfair or different from the way you treat other people.
2. a special interest or ability in a particular thing, or a particular tendency.
3. the edge of a piece of cloth cut at a slight angle to the fibers.

Front 10

example of bias/against/toward
example of bias toward

Back 10

1. They were accused of bias against people over 50.
2. A French course with a bias toward the spoken language

Front 11

disparity

Back 11

a difference between things.

Front 12

example of "disparity in"

Back 12

There is still a disparity in salaries among people doing the same job.

Front 13

inequality

Back 13

a situation in which people are not equal because some groups have more opportunities, power, money, etc. than others.

Front 14

example of "inequality in"
example of "social/economic/racial/sexual inequality"
example of "inequality between"

Back 14

1. There are great inequalities in health care across the country.
2. policies aimed at eliminating poverty, unemployment, and social inequality.
3. Her book is about the inequality between women and men.

Front 15

disprove
ex: until now no one had been able to disprove the theory.

Back 15

to prove that something is not correct or true.

Front 16

dubious
ex: I hear he has a dubious reputation in the business.
The story seemed a bit dubious to me.

Back 16

1. not sure about the truth or quality of something, or whether you should do something.
2. not completely good, safe, or honest.
3. used for saying that something is the opposite of the good thing you are describing it as.

Front 17

example of "dubious about"
example of "a dubious honor/pleasure/distinction"

Back 17

1. I'm very dubious about his ability to do the job.
We were dubious about signing the deal.
2. I had the dubious pleasure of meeting him last night.

Front 18

skeptical

Back 18

having doubts about something that other people think is true or right.

Front 19

example of "skeptical about"

Back 19

I'm very skeptical about the results of the survey.

Front 20

emerge
ex: some disturbing rumors were beginning to emerge.
No new leader has emerged to take his place.

Back 20

1. to come out of something or out from behind something.
2. to stop being involved in a difficult situation or period of time.
3. to become known
4. to appear, or to become recognized

Front 21

example of "emerge from"
example of "emerge into"
example of "it emerged (that)"
example of "emerge as"

Back 21

1. After a few weeks, the caterpillar emerges from its cocoon.
The country is slowly emerging from a recession.
Three important factors emerged from our discussions.
2. The doors opened and people began to emerge into the street.
3. It emerged that he had saved a child by donating his kidney.
4. Cities like Atlanta are emerging as important new financial centers.

Front 22

emit
ex: pulsars emit radiation.

Back 22

to send something out into the air, especially gas, light, or heat

Front 23

what is the formal definition of emit?
ex: he emitted a low moan.

Back 23

to make a sound.

Front 24

utter
exs: Its all been an utter waste of time.
She gazed at me in utter confusion.
I felt like a complete and utter fool.

Back 24

complete: often used for emphasizing how bad someone or something is.