1. Approbation

1. 1. Approbation • My broad hint that I had paid for the lessons myself brought smiles of approbation from all the judges at the piano recital.

2. 1. Approbation- Definition (n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval SYNONYMS: commendation, sanction Example: Popularity polls seem to be based on the mistaken idea that the basic task of a political leader is to win immediate approbation from the people.

3. 2. Assuage • Her eyes told me that more than a few well-chosen words would be needed to assuage her hurt feelings.

4. 2. Assuage- Definition (v.)to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench SYNONYMS: mitigate, alleviate Example: Perhaps it will assuage your fright if I remind you that everyone must have a first date at some point in his or her life.

5. 3. Coalition • The various community organizations formed a coalition to lobby against parking laws.

6. 3. Coalition- Definition (n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose SYNONYMNS: alliance, league, federation, combine Example: The American tw0-party system almost always makes it unnecessary to form a coalition of minority parties to carry on the government.

7. 4. Decadence • Some characterized her love of chocolates as a decadence because she ate at least two candy bars a day.

8. 4. Decadence- Definition (n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence SYNONYMS: degeneration, corruption Example: They try to “prove” the decadence of modern youth by emphasizing everything that is bad and ignoring what is good.

9. 5.Elicit • My attempt to elicit information over the phone was met with a barrage of irrelevant recordings.

10. 5. Elicit- Definition • (V.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person) SYNONYMS: call forth, evoke, extract, educe Example: My teacher is so accomplished that she can elicit some degree of interest and attention from even the most withdrawn children.

11. 6. Expostulate • His father expostulated him about the evils of gambling.

12. 6. Expostulate- Definition (V.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning. SYNONYMS: protest, complain Example: I see no point in expostulating with a person who habitually refuses to listen to reason.

13. 7. Hackneyed • The author was stumped, as the only material he was able to come up with for his new book seemed hackneyed and stale.

14. 7. Hackneyed- Definition (adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality SYNONYMNS: commonplace, corny Examples: His skillful use of academic jargon and fashionable catchphrases could not conceal the essentially hackneyed quality of ideas.

15. 8. Hiatus • I was awakened not by a sudden sound but by a hiatus in the din of traffic.

16. 8. Hiatus- Definition (n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing) SYNONYMS: pause, gap, blank Example: When the hiatus in the conversation became embarrassingly long, I decided that time had come to serve sandwiches.

17. 9. Innuendo • His reputation has been damaged by innuendos of drinking and gambling.

18. 9. Innuendo- Definition (n.) a hint, indirect suggestion or reference (often in a derogatory sense) SYNONYMS: insinuation, intimation Example: How can you accuse me of employing innuendo when I am saying in the plainest possible language that I think you’re a crook?

19. 10. Intercede • She will intercede in the dispute between the two children, and soon they will be playing happily again.

20. 10. Intercede (v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement SYNONYMS: intervene, mediate Example: If you try to intercede in a lover’s quarrel, the chances are that you will only make things worse.