By Holly Dayton ’13, Lens Section Editor
This is the second series of ten words you can use in everyday life to properly express yourself (when you’re searching for the elusive word), to impress a teacher or to show your parents that that CCDS education is really going somewhere. The challenge is use every word during school in one week, and the ultimate challenge is to use all of them in one day! Good luck!
1. Stymie: verb, to hinder, block or thwart
Mr. Carr’s presence in the hallway stymied Frances from carrying her donut down the hall.
2. Pilfer: verb, to steal, especially in small quantities
The Spanish teachers hope, especially after Mr. Carey’s email, that students will not pilfer the food laid out for the Dia de los Meurtos celebration.
3. Higgledy-piggledy: adverb, in a confused or disorganized manner
I opened my friend’s locker to discover textbooks covered in doodles, some old snack rotting in the corner, and quizzes and papers lying higgledy-piggledy at the bottom.
4. Delve: verb, to investigate or search
for data
Though some juniors are passionate about their Junior Paper topic at the outset, by the middle of the second quarter they delve for information quite reticently.
5. Arcane: adjective, known by only few, secret, obscure
Most English teachers are kind enough to ask for the modern definition of a word on a vocabulary quiz and not require the arcane meaning.
6. Svelte: adjective, slender and lithe, suave
One of my favorite parts of the Cincinnati Aquarium is the otter exhibit; seeing their little svelte bodies speeding through the water is such fun!
7. Wunderkind: noun, child wonder or prodigy
It can be frustrating to be in class with a wunderkind since one always feels stupid in comparison.
8. Juggernaut: noun, any large, overpowering destructive force
Some students would call Mrs. Dunn’s reading quizzes a juggernaut to their grades.
9.Tantamount: adjective, equal in value, significance or effect
The rush for a new tray of triple chocolate cookies on Cookie Wednesday is tantamount to a stampede.
10. CHALLENGE WORD: embonpoint: noun, plumpness or roundness or person, stoutness (pronounced em-bohn-pwah)
Julie’s mother scolded her for calling Aunt Theresa fat: “She’s just gifted with excellent embonpoint and a large appetite.”
