Assertion

(Are you talking to me?)

Define: A Declaration or Statement

Sentence: We could not believe John's assertion that he had never seen Star Wars. 

Cogent

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Define: Convincing; reasonable

Sentence: Christina's argument was so cogent that even her opponents agreed with her.

Coherent

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Define: logically connected

Sentence: The old prospecto's story was not coherent; he rambled on about different things that had nothing

to do with one another.

Cohesive

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Define: Condition of sticking together.

Sentence: Eric's essay was cohesive because each point flowed nicely into the next point.

Didactic

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Define: Intended to instruct

Sentence: The tapes were entertaining and didactic because they assumed and instructed the children.

Discourse

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Define: Verbal expression or exchange; conversation

Sentence: Their discourse varied widely; they discussed everything from fishing to eating

Eloquence

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Define: the ability to speak vividly or persuasively

Sentence: Cicero's eloquence is legendary; his speeches were well- crafted and convincing.

Fluid

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Define: Easily flowing.

Sentence: The two old friends' conversation was fluid; each of them was able to respond quickly and easily to

what the other had to say.

Implication

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Define:The act of suggesting or hinting

Sentence: When you're mother asks, "Were you raised in a barn?" the implication is that you should close the door.

Lucid

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Define: Easily understood; clear

Define: Our teacher does a good job because he provides lucid explanations of difficult concepts.

Rhetoric

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Define:the art of using language effectively and persuasively.

Sentence: Because they are expected to make speeches , most politicians and lawyers are well versed in the art of rhetoric.

Arbiter

(I'll be the judge of that)

Define: A judge who decides a disputed issue.

Sentence: An arbiter was hired to settle the Major League Baseball strike because the owners and players could not come to

an agreement.

Biased

(I'll be the Judge of That)

Define: Prejudiced

Sentence: Judges should not be biased but should rather weigh the evidence fairly before making up their minds.

Exulpate

(I'll be the judge of that)

Define: To free from guilt or blame.

Sentence: When the gold coins discovered in his closet were found to be fake, Dr. Rideau was exculpated and the search for

the real thief continued.

Impartial

(I'll Be the Judge of that)

Define: Not in favor of one side or the other, unbiased

Sentence: The umpire had a hard time remaining impartial, his son was pitching for the home team, and this made it difficult to

call the game fairly.

Incontrovertible

(I'll be the Judge of that)

Define: Not able to be denied or disputed 

Sentence: The videotape of the robbery provided incontrovertible evidence against the suspect - he was obviously

guilty.

Integrity

(I'll be the Judge of that)

Define: trustworthiness; completeness

Sentence: The integrity of this witness was called into question when her dislike for the defendant was revealed.

Objectivity

(I'll be the Judge of that)

Define: treating factwithout influences from personal feelings or prejudices.

Sentence: It is important that judges hear all cases with objectivity, so that their personal feelings do not affect their

decision.

Plausible

(I'll be the Judge of that)

Define: seemingly valid or acceptable; credible

Sentence: Keith's excuse that he missed school yesterday because he was captured by space aliens was not very plausible. 

Substantiated

(I'll be the Judge of That)

Define: Supported with proof or evidence; verified

Sentence: The fingerprint evidence substantiated the detective's claim that the suspect had been at the scene of the crime.

Vindicated

(I'll be the Judge of that)

Define: Freed from blame

Sentence: Mrs. Layton was finally vindicated after her husband admitted to the crime.

Condescending

(You're so Vain)

Define: Treating people as weak or inferior. 

Sentence: Robert always looked down on his sister and treated her in a condescending manner.

Contemptuous

(I'll be the Judge of That)

Define: feeling hatred; scornful

Sentence: She was so contemptuous of people who wore fur that she sprayed red paint on them.

Despotic

(You're so Vain)

Define: Exercising absolute power; tyrannical

Sentence: He was a despotic ruler whose every law was enforced with threats of violence or death.

Dictatorial

(You're so Vain)

Define: domineering; oppressively overbearing

Sentence: The coach had a dictatorial manner and expected people to do whatever he demanded.

Disdain

(You're so Vain)

Define: (n) contempt, scorn.

(v) to regard or treat people with contempt, to look down on.

Sentence: (n) I felt nothing but disdain for the person who stole my lunch.

(v) A self- proclaimes gourmand, he disdains to eat

any meal that comes in a box

Haughty

(You're so Vain)

Define: Arrogant; vainly proud.

Sentence:His haughty manner made it clear that he thought he was better than everyone else.

Imperious

(You're so Vain)

Define: Arrogantly domineering or overbearing

Sentence: She had a very imperious way about her; she was bossy and treated everyone as if they were beneath her.

Patronizing

(You're so Vain)

Define: Treating in a condescending manner

Sentence: Patrick had such a patronizing attitude that he treated everyone around him like a bunch of little kids.

Convoluted

(When the Going Gets Tough)

Define: Intricate; complex

Sentence: The directions were so convoluted that we drove all around the city and got lost.

Cryptic

(When the Going Gets Tough)

Define: Difficult to comprehend

Sentence: The writing on the walls of the crypt was cryptic; none of the scientists understood it.

Futile

(When the Going Gets Tough)

Define: Having no useful purpose; pointless

Sentence: It is futile to try to explain the difference between right and wrong to your pet.

Impede

(When the Going Gets Tough)

Define: To slow the progress of

Sentence: The retreating army constructed barbed- wire fences and destroyed bridges to impede the advance of the

enemy.

Obscure

(When the Going Gets Tough)

Define: (adj) relatively unknown

(v) to conceal or make indistinct

Sentence:(adj) Scott constantly makes references to obscure cult films, and no one ever gets his jokes

(v) The man in front of me was so tall that his head obscured my view of the movie