Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
Pronunciation Symbols
Unit 1
BENE / AM / Quiz
BELL / PAC / Quiz
CRIM / PROB / Quiz
GRAV / LEV / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 2
MANIA / PSYCH / Quiz
CEPT / FIN / Quiz
JECT / TRACT / Quiz
DUC / SEQU / Quiz
Words from Mythology / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 3
AMBI / EPI / Quiz
HYP / THERM / Quiz
POLY / PRIM / Quiz
HOM / DIS / Quiz
Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 4
VOR / CARN / Quiz
CRED / FID / Quiz
CURR / PED / Quiz
FLECT / POST / Quiz
Words from Mythology / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 5
MAL / CATA / Quiz
PROT / ANTE / Quiz
ORTHO / RECT / Quiz
EU / DYS / Quiz
Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 6
EQU / QUIS / Quiz
PLE / METR / Quiz
AUD / SON / Quiz
ERR / CED / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 7
VIS / SPECT / Quiz
VOC / PHON / Quiz
CUR / PERI / Quiz
SENS / SOPH / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 8
PORT / PEND / Quiz
PAN / EXTRA / Quiz
PHOT / LUC / Quiz
MOR / TROPH / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 9
HER / FUG / Quiz
COSM / SCI / Quiz
JUNCT / PART / Quiz
MIS / PEL / Quiz
Words from Mythology / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 10
PUT / LOG / Quiz
TERR / MAR / Quiz
PATH / PEN / Quiz
MATR / AQU / Quiz
Words from Mythology / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 11
CANT / LINGU / Quiz
SPIR / VER / Quiz
TURB / VOLU / Quiz
FAC / LUM / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 12
UMBR / VEST / Quiz
THE / ICON / Quiz
URB / CULT / Quiz
DEM / POPUL / Quiz
Animal Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 13
CORD / CULP / Quiz
DICT / GNI / Quiz
GRAPH / ART / Quiz
FORT / CIS / Quiz
Animal Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 14
CRYPT / AB / Quiz
PED / TROP / Quiz
NEO / NOV / Quiz
POS / TEN / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 15
TERM / GEO / Quiz
SPHER / VERT / Quiz
MORPH / FORM / Quiz
DOC / TUT / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 16
TOP / CENTR / Quiz
DOM / OMNI / Quiz
HOL / RETRO / Quiz
TEMPOR / CHRON / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 17
ANIM / FIG / Quiz
ANN / EV / Quiz
CORP / TANG / Quiz
CODI / SIGN / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 18
CAPIT / ANTHROP / Quiz
KINE / DYNAM / Quiz
GRAD / REG / Quiz
CRIT / JUR / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 19
BIO / GEN / Quiz
FUNCT / MUT / Quiz
FRACT / TELE / Quiz
PHIL / NEG / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 20
NOM / PATER / Quiz
LEGA / GREG / Quiz
FLU / PREHEND / Quiz
TEMPER / PURG / Quiz
Number Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 21
SUB / HYPER / Quiz
PRE / PARA / Quiz
META / PER / Quiz
ANT / CONTRA / Quiz
Greek and Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 22
ACER / STRICT / Quiz
STRU / PROP / Quiz
TORT / VIV / Quiz
SERV / CLUS / Quiz
Greek and Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 23
TEXT / PLAC / Quiz
AUT / GRAT / Quiz
CLAM / CRAC / Quiz
PUNC / POT / Quiz
Greek and Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 24
MAND / UND / Quiz
SANCT / LOQU / Quiz
VIR / VAL / Quiz
CRE / FUS / Quiz
Greek and Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 25
VERB / SIMIL / Quiz
SCEND / ONYM / Quiz
SCRIB / FALL / Quiz
SOLU / HYDR / Quiz
Greek and Latin Borrowings / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 26
MUR / POLIS / Quiz
NUMER / KILO / Quiz
MICRO / MULTI / Quiz
PAR / PHOB / Quiz
Medical Words / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 27
NANO / SUPER / Quiz
DE / NUL / Quiz
ARM / SURG / Quiz
STRAT / LATER / Quiz
TOM / IATR / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 28
MEDI / OID / Quiz
SCOP / TRANS / Quiz
PRO / PRO / Quiz
RE / RE / Quiz
DERM / ENDO / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 29
NECRO / PALEO / Quiz
CIRCU / MINI / Quiz
INTER / SUR / Quiz
CO / SYN / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Unit 30
TOXI / TEN / Quiz
TECHNI / LONG / Quiz
IDIO / AER / Quiz
CAD / TRIB / Quiz
Words from Mythology and History / Quiz
Review Quizzes
Answers
Index
Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder
Second Edition
Mary Wood Cornog
Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Springfield, Massachusetts
A GENUINE MERRIAM-WEBSTER
The name Webster alone is no guarantee of excellence. It is used by a number of publishers and may serve mainly to mislead an unwary buyer.
Merriam-Webster ™ is the name you should look for when you consider the purchase of dictionaries or other fine reference books. It carries the reputation of a company that has been publishing since 1831 and is your assurance of quality and authority.
Copyright © 2010 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder, Second Edition .
ISBN 978-0-87779-795-1
2nd Kindle version
All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems—without written permission of the publisher.
CONTENTS
→ Copyright
→ Introduction
→ Pronunciation Symbols
→ Unit 1
→ Unit 2
→ Unit 3
→ Unit 4
→ Unit 5
→ Unit 6
→ Unit 7
→ Unit 8
→ Unit 9
→ Unit 10
→ Unit 11
→ Unit 12
→ Unit 13
→ Unit 14
→ Unit 15
→ Unit 16
→ Unit 17
→ Unit 18
→ Unit 19
→ Unit 20
→ Unit 21
→ Unit 22
→ Unit 23
→ Unit 24
→ Unit 25
→ Unit 26
→ Unit 27
→ Unit 28
→ Unit 29
→ Unit 30
→ Answers
→ Index
INTRODUCTION
to the Second Edition
Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder is designed to achieve two goals: (1) to add a large number of words to your permanent working vocabulary, and (2) to teach the most useful of the classical word-building roots to help you continue expanding your vocabulary in the future.
To achieve these goals, Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder employs an original approach that takes into account how people learn and remember. Some vocabulary builders simply present their words in alphabetical order; some provide little or no discussion of the words and how to use them; and a few even fail to show the kinds of sentences in which the words usually appear. But memorizing a series of random and unrelated things can be difficult and time-consuming. The fact is that we tend to remember words easily and naturally when they appear in some meaningful context, when they've been shown to be useful and therefore worth remembering, and when they've been properly explained to us. Knowing precisely how to use a word is just as important as knowing what it means.
Greek and Latin have been the sources of most of the words in the English language (the third principal source being the family of Germanic languages). All these words were added to the language long after the fall of the Roman empire, and more continue to be added to this day, with most new words—especially those in the sciences—still making use of Greek and Latin roots. A knowledge of Greek and Latin roots will not only help you remember the meanings of the words in this book but will help you guess at the meanings of new words that you run into elsewhere. Remember what a root means and you'll have at least a fighting chance of understanding a word in which it appears.
The roots in this book are only a fraction of those that exist, but they include almost all the roots that have produced the largest number of common English words. All these roots (sometimes called stems ) formed parts of Greek and Latin words. Some are shown in more than one form (for example, CRAC/CRAT), which means that they changed form in the original language, just as buy and bought are forms of the same English word.
Each of the more than 250 roots in this book is followed by four words based on the root. Each group of eight words (two roots) is followed by two quizzes. Every fifth group of words is a special eight-word section which may contain words based on classical mythology or history, words borrowed directly from Greek or Latin, or other special categories of terms. Each set of 40 words makes up a unit. Thus, the 30 units in the book discuss in detail a total of 1,200 words. In addition, the brief paragraphs discussing each word include in italics many words closely related to the main words. So mastering a single word (for example, compel ) can increase your vocabulary by several words (in this case, compelling, compulsion, and compulsive ).
The words presented here aren't all on the same level of difficulty—some are quite simple and some are truly challenging—but the great majority are words that could be encountered on the SAT and similar standardized tests. Most of them are in the vocabularies of well-educated Americans, including professionals such as scientists, lawyers, professors, and doctors. Even the words you feel familiar with may only have a place in your recognition vocabulary—that is, the words you recognize when you see or hear them but don't actually use in your own speech and writing.
Each main word is followed by its most common pronunciation. Any pronunciation symbols unfamiliar to you can be learned easily by referring to the Pronunciation Symbols .
The definition comes next. We've tried to provide only the most common senses or meanings of each word, in simple and straightforward language, and no more than two definitions of any word are given. (A more complete range of definitions can be found in a college dictionary such as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary .)
An example sentence marked with a bullet (•) follows the definition. This sentence by itself can indicate a great deal about the word, including the kind of sentence in which it often appears. It can also serve as a memory aid; when you meet the word in the future, you may recall the example sentence more easily than the definition.
An explanatory paragraph rounds out each entry. The paragraph may do a number of things: It may tell you what else you need to know in order to use the word intelligently and correctly, when the definition and example sentence aren't enough. It may tell you more about the word's roots and its history. It may discuss additional meanings or provide additional example sentences. It may demonstrate the use of closely related words. And it may provide an informative or entertaining glimpse into a subject related to the word. The intention is to make you as comfortable as possible with each word in turn and to enable you to start using it immediately, without fear of embarrassment.
The quizzes following each eight-word group, along with the review quizzes at the end of each unit, will test your memory. Many of them ask you to fill in a blank in a sentence. Others require you to identify synonyms (words with the same or very similar meaning) or antonyms (words with the opposite meaning). Perhaps most difficult are the analogies , which ask that you choose the word that will make the relationship between the last two words the same as the relationship between the first two. Thus, you may be asked to complete the analogy “calculate : count :: expend : ___” (which can be read as “Calculate is to count as expend is to ___”) by choosing one of four words: stretch, speculate, pay, and explode . Since calculate and count are nearly synonyms, you will choose a near synonym for expend , so the correct answer is pay .
Studies have shown that the only way a new word will remain alive in your vocabulary is if it's regularly reinforced through use and through reading. Learn the word here and look and listen for it elsewhere; you'll probably find yourself running into it frequently, just as when you've bought a new car you soon realize how many other people own the same model.
Carry this book in your shoulder bag or leave it on your night table. Whenever you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, open it to the beginning of a brief root group. (There's no real need to read the units in any particular order, since each unit is entirely self-contained. However, studying the book straight through from the beginning will ensure that you make maximum use of it.) Pick a single word or a four-word group or an eight-word section; study it, test yourself, and then try making up new sentences for each word. Be sure to pronounce every new word aloud at least once, along with its definition.
Start using the words immediately. As soon as you feel confident with a word, start trying to work it into your writing wherever appropriate—your papers and reports, your diary and your poetry. An old saying goes, “Use it three times and it's yours.” That may be, but don't stop at three. Make the words part of your working vocabulary, the words that you can not only recognize when you see or hear them but that you can comfortably call on whenever you need them. Astonish your friends, amaze your relatives, astound yourself (while trying not to be too much of a show-off)—and have fun!
Acknowledgments: The first edition of this book, written by Mary Wood Cornog, also benefited from the contributions of numerous members of the Merriam-Webster staff, including Michael G. Belanger, Brett P. Palmer, Stephen J. Perrault, and Mark A. Stevens. This new edition was edited by Mark A. Stevens, with assistance from C. Roger Davis and with the support and encouragement of Merriam-Webster's president and publisher, John M. Morse.
Pronunciation Symbols
ə ba nana , co llide, a but
ˈə, ˌə hu mdru m, abu t
ə immediately preceding \l\, \n\, \m\, \ŋ\, as in battle , mitten , eaten , and sometimes open \ˈō-pə m\, lock and key \-ə ŋ-\
ər fur ther , mer ger , bir d
a ma t, ma p, ma d, ga g, sna p, pa tch
ā day , fa de, da te, a orta, dra pe, ca pe
ä bo ther, co t
är car , hear t, bazaar , bizarre
au̇ now , lou d, ou t
b b ab y, rib
ch ch in, nature \ˈnāchər\
d d id , add er
e be t, be d, pe ck
er bare , fair , wear , millionaire
ē easy , mealy
f f if ty, cuff
g g o, big , g ift
h h at, ah ead
i ti p, bani sh, acti ve
ir near , deer , mere , pier
ī si te, si de, buy , tri pe
j j ob, g em, edge , j oin, j udge
k k in, c ook , ache
l l il y, pool
m m urm ur, dim , nym ph
n n o, own
ŋ sing \ˈsiŋ\, sing er \ˈsiŋ-ər\, fin ger \ˈfiŋ-gər\, in k \ˈiŋk\
ō bo ne, know , beau
ȯ saw , a ll, gnaw , caugh t
ȯi coi n, destroy
ȯr boar , por t, door , shore
p p epp er, lip
r r ed, r ar ity
s s ource , less
sh as in sh y, missi on, mach ine, speci al
t t ie, att ack, late , lat er, latt er
th as in th in, eth er
th th en, eith er, th is
ü ru le, you th, union \ˈyün-yən\, few \ˈfyü\
u̇ pu ll, woo d, boo k
u̇r boor , tour , insure
v v iv id, give
w w e, aw ay
y y ard, y oung, cue \ˈkyü\, mute \ˈmyüt\, union \ˈyün-yən\
z z one, raise
zh as in visi on, azure \ˈa-zhər\
\ backslash used in pairs to mark the beginning and end of a transcription: \ˈpen\
ˈ mark preceding a syllable with primary (strongest) stress: \ˈpen-mən-ˌship\
ˌ mark preceding a syllable with secondary (medium) stress: \ˈpen-mən-ˌship\
- mark of syllable division
Unit 1
BENE AM BELL PAC CRIM PROB GRAV LEV Words from Mythology and History
Quiz 1-1 Quiz 1-2 Quiz 1-3 Quiz 1-4 Quiz 1-5 Review Quizzes 1
BENE is Latin for “well.” A benefit is a good result or effect. Something beneficial produces good results or effects. The Latin root can be heard in other languages as well: “Good!” or “Fine!” in Spanish is “Bueno!”; in French, it's “Bon!”; and in Italian, just say “Bene!”
benediction \ˌbe-nə-ˈdik-shən\ A prayer that asks for God's blessing, especially a prayer that concludes a worship service.
• The moment the bishop had finished his benediction, she squeezed quickly out of her row and darted out the cathedral's side entrance.
In benediction , the bene root is joined by another Latin root, dictio , “speaking” (see DICT ), so the word's meaning becomes something like “well-wishing.” Perhaps the best-known benediction is the so-called Aaronic Benediction from the Bible, which begins, “May the Lord bless you and keep you.” An important section of the Catholic Mass was traditionally known as the Benedictus , after its first word (meaning “blessed”). It was St. Benedict who organized the first Christian monasteries; many Christians have been baptized Benedict in his honor, and 16 popes have taken it as their papal name.
benefactor \ˈbe-nə-ˌfak-tər\ Someone who helps another person or group, especially by giving money.
• An anonymous benefactor had given $15 million to establish an ecological institute at the university.
A benefactor may be involved in almost any field. One may endow a scholarship fund; another may give money to expand a library; still another may leave a generous sum to a hospital in her will. The famous benefactions of John D. Rockefeller included the gifts that established the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Rockefeller University. Many benefactors have reported that giving away their money turned out to be the most rewarding thing they ever did.
beneficiary \ˌbe-nə-ˈfi-shē-ˌer-ē\ A person or organization that benefits or is expected to benefit from something, especially one that receives money or property when someone dies.
• Living in a trailer in near-poverty, she received word in the mail that her father had died, naming her as the sole beneficiary of his life-insurance policy.
Beneficiary is often used in connection with life insurance, but it shows up in many other contexts as well. A college may be the beneficiary of a private donation. Your uncle's will may make a church his sole beneficiary, in which case all his money and property will go to it when he dies. A “third-party beneficiary” of a contract is a person (often a child) who the people signing the contract (which is usually an insurance policy or an employee-benefit plan) want to benefit from it. In a more general way, a small business may be a beneficiary of changes to the tax code, or a restaurant may be the beneficiary when the one across the street closes down and its whole lunch crowd starts coming in.
benevolence \bə-ˈnev-ləns\ Kindness, generosity.
• In those financially desperate years, the young couple was saved only by the benevolence of her elderly great-uncle.
Part of benevolence comes from the Latin root meaning “wish.” The novels of Charles Dickens often include a benevolent figure who rescues the main characters at some point—Mr. Brownlow in Oliver Twist , Abel Magwitch in David Copperfield , Mr. Jarndyce in Bleak House, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol . To be benevolent, it helps to have money, but it's not necessary; kind assistance of a nonfinancial sort may turn out to be lifesaving benevolence as well.
AM comes from the Latin amare , “to love.” The Roman god of love was known by two different names, Cupid and Amor . Amiable means “friendly or good-natured,” and amigo is Spanish for “friend.”
amicable \ˈa-mi-kə-bəl\ Friendly, peaceful.
• Their relations with their in-laws were generally amicable, despite some bickering during the holidays.
Amicable often describes relations between two groups, or especially two nations—for example, the United States and Canada, which are proud of sharing the longest unguarded border in the world. So we often speak of an amicable meeting or an amicable settlement. When amicable describes more personal relations, it may indicate a rather formal friendliness. But it's always nice when two friends who've been quarreling manage to have an amicable conversation and to say amicable good-byes at the end.
enamored \i-ˈna-mərd\ Charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love.
• Rebecca quickly became enamored of the town's rustic surroundings, its slow pace, and its eccentric characters.
Computer hackers are always enamored of their new programs and games. Millions of readers have found themselves enamored with Jane Austen's novels. And Romeo and Juliet were, of course, utterly enamored of each other. But we also often use the word in negative contexts: A friend at work may complain that she's not enamored of the new boss, and when you start talking about how you're not enamored with the neighbors it may be time to move. (Note that both of and with are commonly used after enamored. )
amorous \ˈa-mə-rəs\ Having or showing strong feelings of attraction or love.
• It turned out that the amorous Congressman had gotten his girlfriend a good job and was paying for her apartment.
A couple smooching on a park bench could be called amorous, or a young married couple who are always hugging and kissing. But the word is often used a bit sarcastically, as when a tabloid newspaper gets hold of some scandalous photos and calls the participants “the amorous pair.” In such cases, we may be encouraged to think the attraction is more physical than emotional.
paramour \ˈper-ə-ˌmu̇r\ A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom.
• He had been coming to the house for two years before her brothers realized that he was actually the paramour of their shy and withdrawn sister.
Paramour came to English from French (a language based on Latin), though the modern French don't use the word. Since par amour meant “through love,” it implies a relationship based solely on love, often physical love, rather than on social custom or ceremony. So today it tends to refer to the lover of a married man or woman, but may be used for any lover who isn't obeying the social rules.
Quiz 1-1
A. Choose the closest synonym:
1. beneficiary
a. benefit b. prayer c. recipient d. contributor
2. amorous
a. friendly b. sympathetic c. loving d. kind
3. benediction
a. blessing b. gift c. saint d. favor
4. amicable
a. difficult b. friendly c. curious d. lazy
5. enamored
a. strengthened b. engaged c. fond d. free
6. benefactor
a. supporter b. priest c. donation d. kindness
7. paramour
a. lover b. husband c. heaven d. affection
8. benevolence
a. value b. kindness c. luck d. approval
Answers
B. Complete the analogy:
1. charming : enchanting :: amorous : ___
a. sublime b. pleasant c. likeable d. passionate
2. greeting : farewell :: benediction : ___
a. motto b. speech c. curse d. saying
3. lender : borrower :: benefactor : ___
a. giver b. beneficiary c. participant d. partner
4. gentle : tender :: enamored : ___
a. lively b. charmed c. cozy d. enraged
5. liking : appreciation :: benevolence : ___
a. opinion b. sentimentality c. interest d. generosity
6. frozen : boiling :: amicable : ___
a. calm b. comfortable c. shy d. unfriendly
7. patient : doctor :: beneficiary : ___
a. tycoon b. investor c. lover d. benefactor
8. friend : companion :: paramour : ___
a. lover b. theater c. mother d. wife
Answers
BELL comes from the Latin word meaning “war.” Bellona was the little-known Roman goddess of war; her husband, Mars, was the god of war.
antebellum \ˌan-ti-ˈbe-ləm\ Existing before a war, especially before the American Civil War (1861–65).
• When World War I was over, the French nobility found it impossible to return to their extravagant antebellum way of life.
Even countries that win a war often end up worse off than they had been before, and the losers almost always do. So antebellum often summons up images of ease, elegance, and entertainment that disappeared in the postwar years. In the American South, the antebellum way of life depended on a social structure, based on slavery, that collapsed after the Civil War; Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind shows the nostalgia and bitterness felt by wealthy Southerners after the war more than the relief and anticipation experienced by those released from slavery. In Europe, World War I shattered the grand life of the upper classes, even in victorious France and Britain, and changed society hugely in the space of just four years.
bellicose \ˈbe-li-ˌkōs\ Warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome.
• The more bellicose party always got elected whenever there was tension along the border and the public believed that military action would lead to security.
Since bellicose describes an attitude that hopes for actual war, the word is generally applied to nations and their leaders. In the 20th century, it was commonly used to describe such figures as Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm, Italy's Benito Mussolini, and Japan's General Tojo, leaders who believed their countries had everything to gain by starting wars. The international relations of a nation with a bellicose foreign policy tend to be stormy and difficult, and bellicosity usually makes the rest of the world very uneasy.
belligerence \bə-ˈli-jə-rəns\ Aggressiveness, combativeness.
• The belligerence in Turner's voice told them that the warning was a serious threat.
Unlike bellicose and bellicosity , the word belligerence can be used at every level from the personal to the global. The belligerence of Marlon Brando's performances as the violent Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire electrified the country in the 1940s and '50s. At the same time, belligerent speeches by leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States throughout the Cold War were keeping the world on edge. Belligerent is even a noun; the terrible war in the Congo in recent years, for example, has involved seven nations as belligerents.
rebellion \ri-ˈbel-yən\ Open defiance and opposition, sometimes armed, to a person or thing in authority.
• A student rebellion that afternoon in Room 13 resulted in the new substitute teacher racing out of the building in tears.
Plenty of teenagers rebel against their parents in all kinds of ways. But a rebellion usually involves a group. Armed rebellions are usually put down by a country's armed forces, or at least kept from expanding beyond a small area. The American War of Independence was first viewed by the British as a minor rebellion that would soon run its course, but this particular rebellion led to a full-fledged revolution—that is, the overthrow of a government. Rebellion, armed or otherwise, has often alerted those in power that those they control are very unhappy.
PAC is related to the Latin words for “agree” and “peace.” The Pacific Ocean —that is, the “Peaceful Ocean”—was named by Ferdinand Magellan because it seemed so calm after he had sailed through the storms near Cape Horn. (Magellan obviously had never witnessed a Pacific typhoon.)
pacify \ˈpa-sə-ˌfī\ (1) To soothe anger or agitation. (2) To subdue by armed action.
• It took the police hours to pacify the angry demonstrators.
Someone stirred up by a strong emotion can usually be pacified by some kind words and the removal of its causes. Unhappy babies are often given a rubber pacifier for sucking to make them stop crying. During the Vietnam War, pacification of an area meant using armed force to drive out the enemy, which might be followed by bringing the local people over to our side by building schools and providing social services. But an army can often bring “peace” by pure force, without soothing anyone's emotions.
pacifist \ˈpa-sə-fist\ A person opposed to war or violence, especially someone who refuses to bear arms or to fight, on moral or religious grounds.
• Her grandfather had fought in the Marines in World War II, but in his later years he had become almost a pacifist, opposing every war for one reason or another.
The Quakers and the Jehovah's Witnesses are pacifist religious groups, and Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King are probably the most famous American pacifists. Like these groups and individuals, pacifists haven't always met with sympathy or understanding. Refusing to fight ever, for any reason, calls for strong faith in one's own moral or religious convictions, since pacifism during wartime has often gotten people persecuted and even thrown in prison.
pact \ˈpakt\ An agreement between two or more people or groups; a treaty or formal agreement between nations to deal with a problem or to resolve a dispute.
• The girls made a pact never to reveal what had happened on that terrifying night in the abandoned house.
Pact has “peace” at its root because a pact often ends a period of unfriendly relations. The word is generally used in the field of international relations, where diplomats may speak of an “arms pact,” a “trade pact,” or a “fishing-rights pact.” But it may also be used for any solemn agreement or promise between two people; after all, whenever two parties shake hands on a deal, they're not about to go to war with each other.
pace \ˈpā-sē\ Contrary to the opinion of.
• She had only three husbands, pace some Hollywood historians who claim she had as many as six.
This word looks like another that is much more familiar, but notice how it's pronounced. It is used only by intellectuals, and often printed in italics so that the reader doesn't mistake it for the other word. Writers use it when correcting an opinion that many people believe; for example, “The costs of the program, pace some commentators, will not be significant.” So what does pace have to do with peace? Because it says “Peace to them (that is, to the people I'm mentioning)—I don't want to start an argument; I just want to correct the facts.”
Quiz 1-2
A. Match the word on the left to the correct definition on the right:
1. antebellum a. quarrelsome
2. pace b. solemn agreement
3. rebellion c. to make peaceful
4. pacify d. before the war
5. pacifist e. aggressiveness
6. belligerence f. opposition to authority
7. pact g. contrary to the opinion of
8. bellicose h. one who opposes war
Answers
B. Fill in each blank with the correct letter:
a. antebellum
b. pacifist
c. pact
d. pace
e. rebellion
f. bellicose
g. pacify
h. belligerence
1. The native ___ began at midnight, when a gang of youths massacred the Newton family and set the house afire.
2. The grand ___ mansion has hardly been altered since it was built in 1841.
3. The Senate Republicans, outraged by their treatment, were in a ___ mood.
4. ___ some of the younger scholars, no good evidence has been found that Japan was involved in the incident .
5. The cease-fire ___ that had been reached with such effort was shattered by the news of the slaughter.
6. Their relations during the divorce proceedings had been mostly friendly, so his ___ in the judge's chambers surprised her.
7. The world watched in amazement as the gentle ___ Gandhi won India its independence with almost no bloodshed.
8. Her soft lullabies could always ___ the unhappy infant.
Answers
CRIM comes from the Latin words for “fault or crime” or “accusation.” It's obvious where the root shows up most commonly in English. A crime is an act forbidden by the government, which the government itself will punish you for, and for which you may be branded a criminal . A crime is usually more serious than a tort (see TORT ), a “civil wrong” for which the wronged person must himself sue if he wants to get repaid in some way.
criminology \ˌkri-mə-ˈnä-lə-jē\ The study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, and punishment.
• His growing interest in criminology led him to become a probation officer.
Criminology includes the study of all aspects of crime and law enforcement—criminal psychology, the social setting of crime, prohibition and prevention, investigation and detection, capture and punishment. Thus, many of the people involved—legislators, social workers, probation officers, judges, etc.—could possibly be considered criminologists, though the word usually refers only to scholars and researchers.
decriminalize \dē-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz\ To remove or reduce the criminal status of.
• An angry debate over decriminalizing doctor-assisted suicide raged all day in the statehouse.
Decriminalization of various “victimless crimes”—crimes that don't directly harm others, such as private gambling and drug-taking—has been recommended by conservatives as well as liberals, who often claim that it would ease the burden on the legal system, decrease the amount of money flowing to criminals, and increase personal liberty. Decriminalization is not the same as legalization; decriminalization may still call for a small fine (like a traffic ticket), and may apply only to use or possession of something, leaving the actual sale of goods or services illegal.
incriminate \in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt\ To show evidence of involvement in a crime or a fault.
• The muddy tracks leading to and from the cookie jar were enough to incriminate them.
Testimony may incriminate a suspect by placing him at the scene of a crime, and incriminating evidence is the kind that strongly links him to it. But the word doesn't always refer to an actual crime. We can say, for instance, that a virus has been incriminated as the cause of a type of cancer, or that video games have been incriminated in the decline in study skills among young people.
recrimination \rē-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən\ (1) An accusation in answer to an accusation made against oneself. (2) The making of such an accusation.
• Their failure to find help led to endless and pointless recriminations over responsibility for the accident.
Defending oneself from a verbal attack by means of a counterattack is as natural as physical self-defense. So a disaster often brings recriminations among those connected with it, and divorces and child-custody battles usually involve recriminations between husband and wife. An actual crime isn't generally involved, but it may be; when two suspects start exchanging angry recriminations after they've been picked up, it often leads to one of them turning against the other in court.
PROB comes from the Latin words for “prove or proof” and “honesty or integrity.” A probe , whether it's a little object for testing electrical circuits or a spacecraft headed for Mars, is basically something that's looking for evidence or proof. And probable originally described something that wasn't certain but might be “provable.”
approbation \ˌa-prə-ˈbā-shən\ A formal or official act of approving; praise, usually given with pleasure or enthusiasm.
• The senate signaled its approbation of the new plan by voting for it unanimously.
Approbation is a noun form of approve , but approbation is usually stronger than mere approval . An official commendation for bravery is an example of approbation; getting reelected to office by a wide margin indicates public approbation; and the social approbation received by a star quarterback in high school usually makes all the pain worthwhile.
probate \ˈprō-ˌbāt\ The process of proving in court that the will of someone who has died is valid, and of administering the estate of a dead person.
• When her father died, she thought she would be able to avoid probate, but she wasn't that lucky.
Ever since people have written wills, those wills have had to be proven genuine by a judge. Without a probate process, greedy acquaintances or relatives could write up a fake will stating that all the person's wealth belonged to them. To establish a will as genuine, it must generally be witnessed and stamped by someone officially licensed to do so (though wills have sometimes been approved even when they were just written on a piece of scrap paper, with no witnesses). Today we use probate more broadly to mean everything that's handled in probate court , a special court that oversees the handling of estates (the money and property left when someone dies), making sure that everyone eventually receives what is properly theirs.
probity \ˈprō-bə-tē\ Absolute honesty and uprightness.
• Her unquestioned probity helped win her the respect of her fellow judges.
Probity is a quality the public generally hopes for in its elected officials but doesn't always get. Bankers, for example, have traditionally been careful to project an air of probity, even though banking scandals and bailouts have made this harder than ever. An aura of probity surrounds such public figures as Warren Buffett and Bill Moyers, men to whom many Americans would entrust their children and their finances.
reprobate \ˈre-prə-ˌbāt\ A person of thoroughly bad character.
• His wife finally left him, claiming he was a reprobate who would disappear for weeks at a time, gambling and drinking away all his money.
The related verb of reprobate is reprove , which originally, as the opposite of approve , meant “to condemn.” Thus, a reprobate, as the word was used in Biblical translations, was someone condemned to hell. But for many years reprobate has been said in a tone of joshing affection, usually to describe someone of doubtful morals but good humor. Shakespeare's great character Falstaff—a lazy, lying, boastful, sponging drunkard—is the model of a reprobate, but still everyone's favorite Shakespeare character.
Quiz 1-3
A. Indicate whether the following pairs of words have the same or different meanings:
1. decriminalize / tolerate
same ___ / different ___
2. probity / fraud
same ___ / different ___
3. criminology / murder
same ___ / different ___
4. incriminate / acquit
same ___ / different ___
5. probate / trial
same ___ / different ___
6. recrimination / faultfinding
same ___ / different ___
7. reprobate / scoundrel
same ___ / different ___
8. approbation / criticism
same ___ / different ___
Answers
B. Match the definition on the left to the correct word on the right:
1. utter honesty a. approbation
2. approval b. reprobate
3. rascal c. recrimination
4. legal process for wills d. criminology
5. study of illegal behavior e. probity
6. accuse f. probate
7. reduce penalty for g. decriminalize
8. counterattack h. incriminate
Answers
GRAV comes from the Latin word meaning “heavy, weighty, serious.” Gravity is, of course, what makes things heavy, and without it there wouldn't be any life on earth, since nothing would stay on earth at all. This doesn't stop us from yelling in outrage when the familiar laws of gravity cause something to drop to the floor and break.
grave \ˈgrāv\ (1) Requiring serious thought or concern. (2) Serious and formal in appearance or manner.
• We realized that the situation was grave and that the slightest incident could spark all-out war.
Gravity has a familiar physical meaning but also a nonphysical meaning—basically “seriousness.” Thus, something grave possesses gravity. You can refer to the gravity of a person's manner, though public figures today seem to have a lot less gravity than they used to have. Or you can talk about a grave situation, as in the example sentence. But even though Shakespeare makes a pun on grave when a dying character talks about being buried the next day (“Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man”), the word meaning “hole for burying a body” isn't actually related.
gravitas \ˈgra-və-ˌtäs\ Great or very dignified seriousness.
• The head of the committee never failed to carry herself with the gravitas she felt was appropriate to her office.
This word comes to us straight from Latin. Among the Romans, gravitas was thought to be essential to the character and functions of any adult (male) in authority. Even the head of a household or a low-level official would strive for this important quality. We use gravitas today to identify the same solemn dignity in men and women, but it seems to come easier in those who are over 60, slow-moving—and a bit overweight.
gravitate \ˈgra-və-ˌtāt\ To move or be drawn toward something, especially by natural tendency or as if by an invisible force.
• On hot evenings, the town's social life gravitated toward the lakefront, where you could stroll the long piers eating ice cream or dance at the old Casino.
To gravitate is to respond, almost unconsciously, to a force that works like gravity to draw things steadily to it as if by their own weight. Thus, young people gravitate toward a role model, moths gravitate to a flame, a conversation might gravitate toward politics, and everyone at a party often gravitates to the bar.
aggravate \ˈa-grə-ˌvāt\ (1) To make (an injury, problem, etc.) more serious or severe. (2) To annoy or bother.
• She went back to the soccer team before the knee was completely healed, which naturally aggravated the injury.
Since the grav- root means basically “weighty or serious,” the original meaning of aggravate was “to make more serious.” A bad relationship with your parents can be aggravated by marrying someone who nobody likes, for example, or a touchy trade relationship between two countries can be aggravated by their inability to agree on climate-change issues. Depression can be aggravated by insomnia—and insomnia can be aggravated by depression. But when most people use aggravate today, they employ its “annoy” sense, as in “What really aggravates my dad is having to listen to that TV all day long.”
LEV comes from the Latin adjective levis, meaning “light,” and the verb levare, meaning “to raise or lighten.” So a lever is a bar used to lift something, by means of leverage. And levitation is the magician's trick in which a body seems to rise into the air by itself.
alleviate \ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌāt\ To lighten, lessen, or relieve, especially physical or mental suffering.
• Cold compresses alleviated the pain of the physical injury, but only time could alleviate the effect of the insult.
Physical pain or emotional anguish, or a water shortage or traffic congestion, can all be alleviated by providing the appropriate remedy. But some pain or anguish or shortage or congestion will remain: to alleviate is not to cure.
elevation \ˌe-lə-ˈvā-shən\ (1) The height of a place. (2) The act or result of lifting or raising someone or something.
• Her doctor is concerned about the elevation of her blood pressure since her last visit.
When you're hiking, you may be interested in knowing the highest elevation you'll be reaching. Psychologists use the term “mood elevation” to mean improvement in a patient's depression, and some leg ailments require elevation of the limb, usually so that it's higher than the heart for part of each day. Elevation can also mean “promotion”; thus, a vice president may be elevated to president, or a captain may be elevated to admiral.
cantilever \ˈkan-tə-ˌlē-vər\ A long piece of wood, metal, etc., that sticks out from a wall to support something above it.
• The house's deck, supported by cantilevers, jutted out dramatically over the rocky slope, and looking over the edge made him dizzy.
Cantilevers hold up a surface or room without themselves being supported at their outer end. Many outdoor balconies are cantilevered , and theater balconies may be as well. A cantilevered bridge may have a huge span (as long as 1,800 feet) built out on either side of a single large foundation pier. Architects sometimes use cantilevered construction to produce dramatic effects; Frank Lloyd Wright's “Fallingwater” house, which extends out over a rocky river, is a famous example. But the Grand Canyon's “Skywalk” has become perhaps the best-known piece of cantilevered construction in America.
levity \ˈle-və-tē\ Lack of appropriate seriousness.
• The Puritan elders tried to ban levity of all sorts from the community's meetings, but found it increasingly difficult to control the younger generation.
Levity originally was thought to be a physical force exactly like gravity but pulling in the opposite direction, like the helium in a balloon. As recently as the 19th century, scientists were still arguing about its existence. Today levity refers only to lightness in manner. To stern believers of some religious faiths, levity is often regarded as almost sinful. But the word, like its synonym frivolity , now has an old-fashioned ring to it and is usually used only half-seriously.
Quiz 1-4
A. Fill in each blank with the correct letter:
a. grave
b. gravitate
c. gravitas
d. aggravate
e. alleviate
f. cantilever
g. levity
h. elevation
1. Even the smallest motion would ___ the pain in his shoulder.
2. She hesitated to step onto the balcony, which was supported by a single ___.
3. At their father's funeral they showed the same solemn ___ at which they had often laughed during his lifetime.
4. To relieve the swelling, the doctor recommended ___ of her legs several times a day.
5. Attracted magically by the music, all animals and natural objects would ___ toward the sound of Orpheus's lyre.
6. With the two armies moving toward the border, they knew the situation was ___.
7. The neighboring nations organized an airlift of supplies to ___ the suffering caused by the drought.
8. The board meeting ended in an unusual mood of ___ when a man in a gorilla suit burst in.
Answers
B. Match the word on the left to the correct definition on the right:
1. levity a. solemn dignity
2. gravitas b. relieve
3. grave c. raising
4. alleviate d. support beam
5. elevation e. move toward as if drawn
6. aggravate f. lack of seriousness
7. cantilever g. serious
8. gravitate h. worsen
Answers
Words from Mythology and History
cicerone \ˌsi-sə-ˈrō-nē\ A guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, or architectural sites and explains what is being seen.
• On Crete they sought out a highly recommended cicerone, hoping to receive the best possible introduction to the noteworthy historical sites.
The Roman statesman and orator Cicero was renowned for his elegant style and great knowledge (and occasional long-windedness). So 18th-century Italians seem to have given the name cicerone to the guides who would show well-educated foreigners around the great cultural sites of the ancient Roman empire—guides who sought to be as eloquent and informed as Cicero in explaining the world in which he lived.
hector \ˈhek-tər\ To bully or harass by bluster or personal pressure.
• He would swagger around the apartment entrance with his friends and hector the terrified inhabitants going in and out.
In Homer's great Iliad, Hector was the leader of the Trojan forces, and the very model of nobility and honor. In the Greek war against Troy, he killed several great warriors before being slain by Achilles. His name began to take on its current meaning only after gangs of bullying young rowdies, many of them armed soldiers recently released from service following the end of the English Civil War, began terrorizing the residents of late-17th-century London. The gangs took such names as the Roysters, the Blades, the Bucks, and the Bloods, but the best-known of them was called the Hectors. The names Blades and Hectors may have seemed appropriate because, like Hector and Achilles, they often fought with swords.
hedonism \ˈhē-də-ˌni-zəm\ An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal.
• In her new spirit of hedonism, she went out for a massage, picked up champagne and chocolate truffles, and made a date that evening with an old boyfriend.
Derived from the Greek word for “pleasure,” hedonism over the ages has provided the basis for several philosophies. The ancient Epicureans and the 19th-century Utilitarians both taught and pursued hedonistic principles. But although we generally use the word today when talking about immediate pleasures for the senses, philosophers who talk about hedonism are usually talking about quiet pleasures that aren't pursued in a selfish way.
nestor \ˈnes-ˌtȯr\ A senior figure or leader in one's field.
• The guest of honor was a nestor among journalists, and after dinner he shared some of his wisdom with the audience.
Nestor was another character from the Iliad, the eldest of the Greek leaders in the Trojan War. A great warrior as a young man, he was now noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged. These days, a nestor is not necessarily long-winded, but merely wise and generous with his advice.
spartan \ˈspär-tən\ Marked by simplicity, avoidance of luxury, and often strict self-discipline or self-denial.
• When he was single, he had lived a spartan life in a tiny, undecorated apartment with one chair, a table, and a bed.
In ancient times, the Greek city-state of Sparta had a reputation for the severe and highly disciplined way of life it enforced among its citizens, so as to keep them ready for war at any time. Physical training was required for both men and women. A boy would begin his military training at 7 and would live in army barracks for much of his life, even after he was married. Today, when a cargo ship or a remote beach resort offers “spartan accommodations,” some tourists jump at the chance for a refreshing change from the luxuries they've been used to—and no one worries that they'll be forced out of bed at dawn to participate in war games.
stentorian \sten-ˈtȯr-ē-ən\ Extremely loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.
• Even without a microphone, his stentorian voice was clearly audible in the last rows of the auditorium.
Stentor, like Hector, was a warrior in the Iliad, but on the Greek side. His unusually powerful voice (Homer calls him “brazen-voiced”—that is, with a voice like a brass instrument) made him the natural choice for delivering announcements and proclamations to the assembled Greek army, in an era when there was no way of artificially increasing the volume of a voice.
stoic \ˈstō-ik\ Seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.
• She bore the pain of her broken leg with such stoic patience that most of us had no idea she was suffering.
The Stoics were members of a philosophical movement that first appeared in ancient Greece and lasted well into the Roman era. Stoicism taught that humans should seek to free themselves from joy, grief, and passions of all kinds in order to attain wisdom; its teachings thus have much in common with Buddhism. The great Stoics include the statesman Cicero, the playwright Seneca, and the emperor Marcus Aurelius, whose Meditations is the most famous book of Stoic philosophy. Today we admire the kind of stoicism that enables some people (who may never have even heard of Marcus Aurelius) to endure both mental and physical pain without complaint.
sybaritic \ˌsi-bə-ˈri-tik\ Marked by a luxurious or sensual way of life.
• When I knew them they were living a sybaritic existence—hopping from resort to resort, each more splendid than the last—but a year later the money ran out.
The ancient city of Sybaris (near modern Terranova di Sibari), founded by the Greeks on the toe of Italy's “boot,” was famous for the wealth and luxury of its citizens in the 6th century B.C. But the Sybarites' wealth made them overconfident, and when they went to war with a nearby city, they were defeated by a much smaller army. After the victory, their enemies diverted the course of the river running through Sybaris so that it destroyed the whole city forever.
Quiz 1-5
Choose the closest definition:
1. hedonism
a. preference for males b. habit of gift-giving c. tendency to conceal feelings d. love of pleasure
2. hector
a. encourage b. harass c. deceive d. swear
3. cicerone
a. guide b. cartoon character c. orator d. lawyer
4. spartan
a. cheap b. Greek c. severe d. luxurious
5. nestor
a. journalist b. long-winded elder c. domestic hen d. judge
6. stoic
a. pleasure-seeking b. bullying c. repressed d. unaffected by pain
7. sybaritic
a. pleasure-seeking b. free of luxury c. sisterly d. ice-cold
8. stentorian
a. obnoxious b. muffled c. loud d. dictated
Answers
Review Quizzes 1
A. Fill in each blank with the correct letter:
a. bellicose
b. stentorian
c. pace
d. sybaritic
e. grave
f. alleviate
g. belligerence
h. benevolence
i. incriminate
j. gravitate
k. hector
l. enamored
m. stoic
n. pacify
1. Her grandfather had a ___ manner, moved slowly, and never laughed.
2. The mood at the resort was ___, and the drinking and dancing continued long into the night.
3. To rattle the other team, they usually ___ them constantly.
4. The judge was known for issuing all his rulings in a ___ voice.
5. He wouldn't even have a place to live if it weren't for the ___ of his wealthy godfather.
6. Thoroughly ___ of the splendid Victorian house, they began to plan their move.
7. She attempted to ___ his anxiety by convincing him he wasn't to blame.
8. Whenever she entered a bar alone, the lonely men would always ___ toward her.
9. Their refusal to cease work on nuclear weapons was seen as a ___ act by the neighboring countries.
10. ___ my many critics, I have never had reason to change my views on the subject.
11. Unable to calm the growing crowd, he finally ordered the police to ___ the area by force.
12. Whenever her boyfriend saw anyone looking at her, his ___ was alarming.
13. He bore all his financial losses with the same ___ calm.
14. Who would have guessed that it would take the killer's own daughter to ___ him.
Answers
B. Choose the closest definition:
1. hedonism
a. fear of heights b. hatred of crowds c. liking for children d. love of pleasure
2. levity
a. lightness b. policy c. leverage d. literacy
3. aggravate
a. lessen b. decorate c. intensify d. lighten
4. reprobate
a. researcher b. commissioner c. scoundrel d. reformer
5. bellicose
a. fun-loving b. warlike c. impatient d. jolly
6. decriminalize a. discriminate b. legalize c. legislate d. decree 7. antebellum
a. preventive b. unlikely c. impossible d. prewar
8. benediction
a. slogan b. prayer c. greeting d. expression
9. pact
a. bundle b. form c. agreement d. presentation
10. amicable
a. technical b. sensitive c. friendly d. scenic
11. criminology
a. crime history b. crime book c. crime study d. crime story
12. approbation
a. approval b. resolution c. reputation d. substitution
Answers
C. Match the definition on the left to the correct word on the right:
1. secret lover a. elevation
2. estate process b. gravitas
3. accusation c. probate
4. integrity d. probity
5. gift receiver e. recrimination
6. giver f. paramour
7. peace lover g. benefactor
8. promotion h. beneficiary
9. dignity i. rebellion
10. revolt j. pacifist
Answers
Unit 2
MANIA PSYCH CEPT FIN JECT TRACT DUC/DUCT SEQU Words from Mythology
Quiz 2-1 Quiz 2-2 Quiz 2-3 Quiz 2-4 Quiz 2-5 Review Quizzes 2
MANIA in Latin means “madness,” and the meaning passed over into English unchanged. Our word mania can mean a mental illness, or at least an excessive enthusiasm. We might call someone a maniac who was wild, violent, and mentally ill—or maybe just really enthusiastic about something. Too much caffeine might make you a bit manic . But the intense mood swings once known as manic-depressive illness are now usually called bipolar disorder instead.
kleptomania \ˌklep-tə-ˈmā-nē-ə\ A mental illness in which a person has a strong desire to steal things.
• Kleptomania leads its sufferers to steal items of little value that they don't need anyway.
Klepto- comes from the Greek word kleptein , “to steal.” Even though kleptomania is often the butt of jokes, it's actually a serious mental illness, often associated with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Klepotomaniacs tend to be depressed, and many live lives of secret shame because they're afraid to seek treatment.
dipsomaniac \ˌdip-sə-ˈmā-nē-ˌak\ A person with an extreme and uncontrollable desire for alcohol.
• She didn't like the word alcoholic being applied to her, and liked dipsomaniac even less.
Dipsomaniac comes from the Greek noun dipsa , “thirst,” but thirst usually has nothing to do with it. Some experts distinguish between an alcoholic and a dipsomaniac, reserving dipsomaniac for someone involved in frequent episodes of binge drinking and blackouts. In any case, there are plenty of less respectful words for a person of similar habits: sot, lush, wino, souse, boozer, guzzler, tippler, tosspot, drunkard, boozehound- -the list goes on and on and on.
