Chapter 3 Vocabulary

1. Chapter 3 Vocabulary

2. Mesmerize (v.) hypnotize, fascinate • Associated with Franz Mesmer; Mesmer may have achieved some cures through what we now regard as hypnotism. • Synonyms: spellbind, captivate, enthrall

3. A dynamic speaker can mesmerize an audience; in other words he can captivate and spellbind the listeners as though they were hypnotized.

4. Martial (adj.) warlike, military, pertaining to the armed forces • Mars, the Roman god of war, corresponds to the Greek god Ares. From the god Mars derives the word “martial,” pertaining to fighting and war. Synonyms: Combative, militant, bellicose

5. The sheriff declared martial law in Dodge City to maintain peace.

6. Erotic (adj.) pertaining to or arousing sexual love and desire • The god of love—the Greeks called him Eros, the Romans called him Cupid—is usually pictured today as a winged, chubby infant whose arrows cause people to fall in love. From Eros we get the word “erotic,” which means sexually arousing. • Sexual, passionate, amatory • Related words: aphrodisiac

7. Erotic movies and magazines pander to our lust.

8. Cupidity (n.) greed • From the god’s Roman name Cupid comes the word “cupidity,” which also has to do with desire, but desire for wealth rather than sex. • Synonym: graspingness, possessiveness, avarice

9. Bill Gates can never be accused of cupidity; on the contrary, he is a philanthropist known for giving millions of dollars to various charities every year.

10. Philistine (n.) an uncultured, materialistic person who is indifferent or hostile to artistic and intellectual activities • The Philistines were the archenemy of the ancient Israelites. • Synonyms: materialist, barbarian, boor • Related words:yahoo, ignoramus

11. The TV characters Al Bundy and Homer Simpson are philistines.

12. Catholic (adj.) broad-minded, universal • The word catholic derives from the Greek kata (“concerning”) + holos (“whole”), which formed from the Greek word katholikos, meaning general or universal. • Synonyms: broad, comprehensive, unbiased • Related words: cosmopolitan

13. Someone with catholic taste can appreciate the art, music, literature, and customs of various cultures.

14. Jeopardize (v.) put in danger • The French had a term jeu parti, which meant “game decided.” It was used in gambling, games, and sports when the next move could upset a thus far even contest. • Endanger, risk, imperil

15. If you want peace of mind, don’t jeopardize your life savings by investing all of it in risky business ventures.

16. Precarious (adj.) unsafe, risky, insecure • The ancient Romans must have thought so, as evidenced by their word for “obtained by prayer or begging”—precarius –which also meant risky. • Synonyms: uncertain, hazardous, perilous

17. Trapeze artists who perform without the security of a safety net and daredevil motorcyclists who wear no protective helmets engage in precarious acts.

18. Foible (n.) minor or amusing fault or weakness • “Foible” and “forte” come from French terms in fencing. The weaker part of the foil—from the middle to the tip—is the foible. • Synonym: defect, flaw, infirmity • Related words: quirk

19. The professor’s foible was that he could not remember his students’ names.

20. Forte (n.) strong point • “Foible” and “forte” come from French terms in fencing. The stronger part—from the middle to the hilt—is the forte. • Synonyms: aptitude, talent, metier

21. Walt Disney’s forte was creating cartoons.

22. Apathetic (adj.) • Lacking feeling or interest, unconcerned

23. Empathize (v. ) • Identify with or fully understand another’s feelings and thoughts

24. Antipathy (n.) • Strong dislike

25. Pathos (N.) • Quality or arousing pity or sadness

26. Psychopath (n.) • Mentally ill or unstable person, especially one showing aggressive antisocial behavior