Lesson 17

positioned diagonally or at an angle, without being parallel or perpendicular

The oblique rays of sunlight created interesting shadows on the wall.

to completely destroy something

The powerful explosion was so intense that it seemed to obliterate the entire building.

to officially approve of something such as an action, change, practice, etc.

The city council decided to sanction the music festival, granting official permission for its organization in the park.

attempting to showcase how one believes to be morally or religiously superior

Her sanctimonious remarks about others' behavior were seen as insincere and patronizing.

the state or quality of being sacred or morally pure

The sanctity of the temple was preserved through rituals and ceremonies that emphasized its holiness.

having two or more possible meanings

The politician gave an equivocal answer about his stance on the issue.

to purposely speak in a way that is confusing and open to different interpretations, aiming to deceive others

The politician equivocated when asked about his stance on the new policy.

not likely to cause injury, offense, or strong reaction

His comment seemed innocuous but sparked controversy.

having a disgraceful quality

a person who does not acknowledge any religion or believes in a minority religion

an observable fact, event, or situation, often unusual or not yet fully explained

Northern lights are a spectacular natural phenomenon.

displaying an exceptional level of excellence

The phenomenal success of the movie was evident in its record-breaking box office numbers.

an unusual or strange behavior, thought, or habit that is specific to one person

His constant humming while working is an idiosyncrasy of his.

a group of words or a phrase that has a meaning different from the literal interpretation of its individual words, often specific to a particular language or culture

The idiom 'kick the bucket' means to die, and its meaning is quite different from the literal interpretation of kicking a bucket.

unable to be refined

so slight or gradual that it cannot be noticed

The temperature dropped by an imperceptible degree.

having or showing little to no emotions

Despite the chaos around her, she remained impassive, betraying no signs of fear.

the feeling of being extremely annoyed by things not happening in their due time

His impatience grew as the meeting dragged on.

exceeding reasonable limits or going beyond what is considered appropriate or moderate

His immoderate spending habits quickly drained his savings.

not easy to grasp or understand, often due to being abstract

The concept of eternity feels impalpable, something the human mind struggles to fully comprehend.