StanLey's English Notes

1.futile(adj.)

producing no results 

the prison is so well guarded that all attempts to escape have been futile

2.geometry(n.)

the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance

the geometry of Sydney's famed opera house is suggestive of some modernistic sailing ship

3.arithmetic(n.)

the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value

I haven't actually done the arithmetic yet, but I suspect we're losing money on the deal

4.diagonal(adj.)

running in a slanting direction

the diagonal design ran up the wall all the way from the lower left to the upper right-hand corner

5.vigorous(adj.)

having active strength of body or mind

The nest held three vigorous young birds.

6.deck(n.)

a flat roofless structure attached to a building

The upper, main, middle, and lower decks of a ship are somewhat like the stories of a house.

7.renounce(v.)

to give up

He renounced his claim to the inheritance.

8.handiwork(n.)

something produced by physical or intellectual effort

proud of his handiwork, he was certain that the birdhouse would win first place in its category

9.avenge(v.)

to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for 

a play about a prince who struggles to avenge his father's death

10.insolence(n.)

disrespectful or argumentative talk given in response to a command or request

amazed that parents would tolerate such insolence from their teenaged children

11.diadem(n.)

a decorative band or wreath worn about the head as a symbol of victory or honor 

Miss America's diadem was auctioned off for charity

12.dreadful(adj.)

causing dread

13.afterthought(n.)

afterthought, repentance

14.subtle(adj.)

clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means

used subtle methods of persuasion

15.spare(v.)

being over what is needed

I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit

16.infuriatingly(adv)

in a fury

He went with her inguriatingly.

17.illogicality(n.)

the thing which is not logical

The thing is in illogicality.

18.attendant(n.)

coming as a result

dreaded the coming flu season and the attendant flood of school absences

19.diadem(n.)  

a decorative band or wreath worn about the head as a symbol of victory or honor

Miss America's diadem was auctioned off for charity

20.wretch(n.)

a mean, evil, or unprincipled person

the clerk was an ungrateful wretch who stole money from his employer's cash register

21.fusion(n.)

the act or process of liquefying or rendering plastic by heat

a union by or as if by melting

His work is a fusion of several different styles of music.

22.omnipotent (adj.)

having virtually unlimited authority or influence

an omnipotent central committee 

23.peasant(n.)

a member of a European class of persons tilling the soil as small landowners or as laborers; also : a member of a similar class elsewhere

24.cuneiform (n.)(adj.)

25.obscure (adj.)(v.)

ex.The room is too obscure for reading.