Vocabulary #2: English 9

1. apprehensive: Anxious or fearful about the future; uneasy

The freshmen were extremely apprehensive about the speech contest.

2. contorted: Twisted or strained out of shape

After the car accident, the child’s spine was contorted and needed major surgery, but the doctors weren’t sure if he would make it.

3. derogatory: expressive of low opinion, belittling

Curley’s derogatory words about Lennie’s intelligence were just plain mean.

4. douse: To wet thoroughly; drench

The firemen doused the fire to extinguish it.

5. morose: Sullenly melancholy; gloomy

The morose girl never smiled.

6. mottled: Spotted or blotched with different shades or colors

The light streaming through the trees made a beautiful, mottled pattern on the forest floor.

7. ominous: Menacing; threatening, foreshadowing of evil or disaster (ominous black clouds)

The ominous tone of the villain scared everyone in Gotham City.

The ominous clouds indicated that a big storm was coming.

8. overtones: an implication or a hint

The sarcastic overtones made her seemingly polite words, “I like your dress,” be quite rude.

The overtones of evil were quite clear when the villain cruelly laughed and said, “Just you wait.”

9. profound: deep, penetrating, far-reaching

Compared to most teenagers who worried about appearances and parties, the girl was quite profound in her thoughts about the meaning of life and the cruel nature of humanity.

10. recumbent: Lying down, especially in a position of comfort or rest; reclining

He loved the Lazy Boy recliner because it allowed him to nap in a recumbent position.