Lesson 13

an animal with a tail and four legs that we keep as a pet and is famous for its sense of loyalty

I found a lost dog and helped it find its owner.

humorous and poorly written poetry

The book club laughed at the doggerel recited by the aspiring poet.

a notion or system of notions that one has to accept without questioning or arguing

convinced that everything one believes in is true and others are wrong

His dogmatic views on politics made it difficult to have a productive conversation with him.

to speak in an absolute manner and expecting everyone to believe it without question

The teacher dogmatized the curriculum, discouraging any critical discussion or differing opinions.

a person who overly emphasizes minor details or rules, often displaying a pretentious or excessive concern for academic correctness

The pedant corrected everyone's grammar in class.

the practice of being overly focused on minor details, formal rules, or showing off academic knowledge in an unnecessary way

The meeting was bogged down by his constant pedantry about protocol.

a piece of electrical equipment, often consisting of more than two light sources, that is hung from the ceiling

The pendant hanging from the high ceiling added a touch of sophistication to the space.

expressed clearly and briefly, without losing the main points

Her explanation was succinct, covering all the key points in just a few sentences.

to provide support or help to someone in a difficult or challenging situation

Emergency services were dispatched to succor those affected by the crisis.

juicy and full of flavor

The grilled steak was so succulent that it practically melted in my mouth with each bite.

to surrender to a superior force or influence

Despite his strong will, he eventually succumbed to the persuasive arguments of his friends.

retire from military service

to completely destroy or to knock down a building or another structure

The old factory was demolished to make way for a new development.

to lower the rank or position of someone

She was demoted from manager to supervisor due to the ongoing issues in the department.

an abrupt excited utterance

unusual growth of some parts of the body

The doctor examined the excrescence on the patient’s hand with concern.

to clear someone's name of accusations and prove their innocence

The new evidence helped to exculpate the wrongly accused man.

a conduit to carry off smoke

able to speak or write clearly and effortlessly

She gave a fluent explanation of the new policy.