Sat Question Vocabulary: Author Tone I

Front 1

Aloof

Back 1

adjective

1. Remote in manner: uninvolved or unwilling to become involved with other people or events.

2. Physically remote: physically distant or apart.

• He was always courteous but aloof.
• She tried to stay aloof of the in fighting and scandals
  

Front 2

Ambivalent

Back 2

adjective

1. Unsure: having mixed,uncertain, or conflicting feelings about something.

• The need to relocate has made her ambivalent about the promotion.
  

Front 3

Brusque

Back 3

adjective

1. Abrupt: abrupt, blunt, orcurt in manner or speech.

• She could be brusque and impatient.
  

Front 4

Cautionary

Back 4

adjective

1. Providing warning: involving, giving, or being a warning.

• A cautionary tale.

Front 5

Compassionate

Back 5

adjective

1. Showing sympathy: showing feelings of sympathy for the suffering of others, often with a desire to help.

• The compassionate side of me hates to see good people turned bad.
  

Front 6

Condescension

Back 6

noun

1. Snobby and pretentiously kind manner: behavior that implies that somebody is graciously lowering himself or herself to the level of people less important or intelligent.

• He has an obnoxious tone of condescension.
  

Front 7

Cynical

Back 7

adjective

1. Distrustfulof human nature: doubting or contemptuous of human nature or the motives, goodness, or sincerity of others.

2. Sarcastic: mocking, scornful, or sneering.

• Many people have developed a cynical distrust of politicians.
  

Front 8

Defensive

Back 8

adjective

1. Quick to justify: aiming to deflect or avoid perceived criticism.

2. Serving to protect: designed for protection or defense.

3. Favoring defense as playing strategy: concentrating more on preventing an opponent from gaining an advantage than on scoring.

4. Of defense team: relating to the team that plays defense, especially in football.

• He was very defensive about that side of his life.
  

Front 9

Detachment

Back 9

noun

1. Aloofness: lack of interest in or involvement with other people or with worldly concerns.

2. Disinterestedness: a lack of bias, prejudice, or emotional involvement.

3. Separation: the condition of being separated from something, or the process of separating one thing from another.

4. Military unit: a military unit separated from its normal, larger unit for special duties.

• He felt a sense of detachment from what was going on.
  

Front 10

Didactic

Back 10

adjective

1. With message: containing a political or moral message.

2. Fond of instructing or advising others: tending to give instruction or advice, even when it is not welcome or not needed.

• A didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice.
  

Front 11

Disparage

Back 11

verb

1. Calmly objective: not influenced by emotion or personal feelings.

• He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.
  

Front 12

Dispassionate

Back 12

adjective

1. Calmly objective: not influenced by emotion or personal feelings.

• She dealt with life's disasters in a calm, dispassionate way.
  

Front 13

Esteem

Back 13

verb

1. Value somebody or something highly.

2. Regard something in particular way: to consider something or somebody as having a particular quality (formal).

• I would esteem it a great privilege if you would accompany me to the ball.
  

Front 14

Flippant

Back 14

adjective

1. Not taking something seriously enough: showing a lack of seriousness that is thought inappropriate.

• The audience was shocked by his flippant remarks about patriotism.

Front 15

Grudging

Back 15

adjective

1. Reluctant: done or given reluctantly, or doing or giving something reluctantly.

• A grudging apology.

Front 16

Hypocritical

Back 16

adjective

1. Falsely claiming high principles: showing, originating from, or of the nature of hypocrisy.

• It would be hypocritical of me to congratulate you on defeating me.