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10 Cards in this Set
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STEREOTYPE(n.)(v.) stereotypical(adj.) |
a. An oversimplified idea or image of a group(n.) Ex. The idea is an old-fashioned stereotype. b. To describe by using an oversimplified idea or image(v.) Ex. Although women's rights have been increased a lot in the USA, most people are still inclined to stereotype men. Memory peg - Originally, a stereotype was a metal plate used for printing. Anything printed with a stereotype came out exactly the same - there was no variation. Over time, the word stereotype came to mean a way of thinking that denied or disregarded differences. It also came to have a negative connotation. To remember what stereotype means just think of a metal plate turning out cookie-cutter descriptions of reality, for example, "women are emotional"; "men are logical"; "Italians are passionate"; "Germans are cold." |
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ODYSSEY(n.) |
a. A long journey where many adventures occur. Ex. The hunter's odyssey in the wilderness had made him physically stronger but not much wiser. b. An intellectual or spiritual search. Ex. His studies in Tibet had taken him on an odyssey of discovery that forever changed his life. Memory peg - According to legend, Odysseus, a Greek king, spent ten years wandering after the Trojan War ended. During that time, he and his men had many extraordinary adventures, including being turned into pugs by a famed witch. However, he managed to escape the swinish spell and return home. Thanks to Odysseus"s travels, an odyssey now refers to a long, adventurous journey that can take place in either reality or fantasy. |
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CHAUVINIST(n.) chauvinistic(adj.) chauvinistically(adv.) chauvinism(n.) |
Someone who believes that the country or group to which he or she belongs is superior to all others. Ex. He's just another male chauvinist who is jealous of his wife's success. Memory peg - Nicolas Chauvin served under Napoleon, whom he openly worshipped. Chauvin's obvious admiration for Napoleon became a public joke. Over time, Chauvin's name was used to describe someone who firmly believes that his or her group or country is superior to all others. To remember the meaning of chauvinist, then, just think of Nicolas Chauvin's boasting about Napoleon. |
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OSTRACIZE(v.) ostracism(n.) |
To exclude or banish from a group. Ex. A completely social being, the writer was destroyed when her friends chose to ostracize her for writing a tell-all book. Memory peg - When the ancient Greeks thought someone should be ostracized or banished, they wrote the person's name on an ostrakon, or oyster shell. Think of the oyster shell to remember that ostracize means "banish" or "exclude." You can also link ostracize to its more well-known synonym "blackball." |
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BEDLAM(n.) bedlamite(n.) was or is bedlam |
A place or situation filled with noise and confusion. Ex. What's happening in that room? It's like bedlam in there. Memory peg - In the fifteenth century, the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, a hospital for the poor in London, was used to house the mentally disturbed. Because so little care was given to the inmates, the hospital was a place of wild confusion. Consequently, over time the name Bethlehem became a synonym for disorder. Common usage, however, eventually shortened Bethlehem to bedlam. That mispronunciation became part of the language. To remember the meaning of bedlam, visualize the scene of disorder that was Bethlehem hospital. |
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MAUDLIN(adj.) |
Excessively emotional or sentimental. Ex. We saw a maudlin movie about an orphan who lost his parents in the war. Memory peg - In the Bible, the prostitute reformed by Jesus is called Mary Magdalene(often pronounced like maudlin). In paintings, Mary Magdalene is often shown red-eyed and weeping. Thus with time her name became linked to excessive emotion. In fact, it became associated with the easy tears that often accompany drunkenness. Think of someone who, after one too many beers, starts weeping over a long-lost high school sweetheart. That's a good description of someone being maudlin. |
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CYNIC(n.) cynical(adj.) cynically(adv.) cynicism(n.) |
A person convinced that all people are motivated by selfishness. Ex. Cynics need to ignore all historical evidence of self-sacrifice; if they don't, it's hard for them to maintain that selfishness is the key to human nature. Memory peg - Originally, the Cynics were a group of philosophers in ancient Greece who believed that virtue and self-control were the highest human qualities. Yet, according to the Cynics, few human beings seemed to display either virtue or self-control. Quite the contrary, the Cynical view was that selfishness motivated humanity. In time, the school of philosophy disappeared. However, the word cynic remained to describe someone with little or no faith in human goodness. |
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SABOTAGE(n.)(v.) saboteur(n.) |
a. An action aimed at weakening an enemy or opponent by damaging property or interrupting enemy operations(n.) Ex. It was not clear if the explosion at the factory was an accident or sabotage. b. to damage property or interrupt an operation to weaken an enemy or opponent(v.) Ex. The underground fighters decided it was time to sabotage the railroad used to transport the enemy troops they were fighting. Memory peg - Stories about the origin of sabotage differ: But all agree that it contains the French word sabot, meaning "wooden shoe" or "clog." In one story, enraged farmhands destroyed the fields of the landowner they were working for with their sabots, thus committing a clear act of sabotage. In your mind, picture furious workers trampling a field of wheat with their clogs or sabots, and you will remember what sabotage means. |
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NEMESIS(n.) |
A source of failure, harm, or ruin, often in the form of an obstacle or opponent that can's be overcome. Ex. To follow the proposed course of action is to invite nemesis. Memory peg - According to Greek myth, Nemesis was the goddess of justice. It was her job to hunt down anyone who broke the law and see to it that the person was severely punished. Think of your nemesis as a bloodhound set on tracking you down to bring you bad luck. |
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MENTOR(n.)(v.) |
a. A trusted friend, counselor, or guide(n.) Ex. Thomas Jefferson was James Madison's mentor, but over time the two reversed roles, and Madison became Jefferson's most trusted adviser. b. To advise or teach(v.) Ex. New teachers often need a senior colleague to mentor them. Memory peg - In the Odyssey, Mentor is the teacher of Odysseus's son. When Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom, wants to help Odysseus's family, she takes the form of Mentor so that no one will know of her presence. Thus the word mentor entered the language and came to mean "an adviser." To anchor the word in your memory, associate it with someone who was or is your mentor in some area of life. |
