Name: ………………………….....................................................................

Class: Grade 10 Date: …………………….

Subject: English Language Vocabulary Hand- Out 2

Ambiguous Vocabulary Entries

1- Cease (v.):
- to cause to come to an end especially gradually: no longer continue
Seize (v.):
- to vest ownership of a freehold estate in
- to put in possession of something
- to take possession of: CONFISCATE
- to take possession of by legal process
- to possess or take by force: CAPTURE
- to take prisoner: ARREST
- to take hold of: CLUTCH
- to possess oneself of: GRASP
- to understand fully and distinctly: APPREHEND
Cease is a verb that means "to come to an end" or "to discontinue something." Seize
generally refers to taking control or possession of something. These words don't have much
overlap to cause confusion, but seize can sometimes mean "stop" when used in the phrase
"seize up," as when the gears of a machine "seize up."
2- Decent (adj.):
- marked by moral integrity, kindness, and goodwill
- conforming to standards of propriety, good taste, or morality
- modestly clothed
- free from immodesty or obscenity
- fairly good: ADEQUATE, SATISFACTORY
Descent (n.):
- derivation from an ancestor: BIRTH, LINEAGE
Dissent (v.):
- to withhold assent or approval
- to differ in opinion
Decent is an adjective that means adequate or suitable, as in a decent meal, or good or
respectable, as in a decent person. Descent is a noun that means the act of moving
downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general.
Dissent means to argue or a difference of opinion.
3- Moral (n.):
- the moral significance or practical lesson (as of a story)
- a passage pointing out usually in conclusion the lesson to be drawn from a story
- moral practices or teachings: modes of conduct
- ETHICS
Morale (n.):
- moral principles, teachings, or conduct
- the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of
- the level of individual psychological well-being based on such factors as a sense
of purpose and confidence in the future

Moral and morale differ by one letter, which makes them easy to confuse. Moral can
function as an adjective concerned with the principles of right and wrong (a “moral
obligation”) or as a noun referring to practices or modes of conduct (to have “good
morals”). Morale, on the other hand, functions exclusively as a noun and refers to a sense
of enthusiasm shared by a group (“the morale was low”).
4- Adapt (v.):
- to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification
Adept (adj.):
- thoroughly proficient: EXPERT
(n) - a highly skilled or well-trained individual: EXPERT
5- Adverse (adj.):
- acting against or in a contrary direction: HOSTILE
- opposed to one's interests
- UNFAVORABLE
- causing harm: HARMFUL
Averse (adj.):
- having an active feeling of repugnance, dislike, or distaste —usually used with to
If you want to describe a negative reaction to something (such as a harmful side effect from
medication) or dangerous meteorological conditions (such as a snowstorm), adverse is the
correct choice; you would not say that you had an averse reaction to medication or that
there was averse weather.
Averse is most commonly followed by the preposition to (as in "she is averse to shellfish"),
but not in every case; you can, for example, describe someone as “risk averse." Normally,
averse to signifies a degree of dislike and avoidance, but when preceded by the word not
(as in “he was not averse to having another drink”), it may be used as a pointedly
understated way to express an interest in something.
In short, adverse tends to be used to describe effects, conditions, and results; while averse
refers to feelings and inclinations.
 6- Illicit (adj.):
- not permitted: UNLAWFUL
Elicit (v.):
- to call forth or draw out (something, such as information or a response)
- to draw forth or bring out (something latent or potential)

Illicit is an adjective describing something that is illegal or not permitted, while elicit is a
verb meaning "to bring forth a reaction or response." Elicit can be traced back to lacere,
which means "to allure," while illicit is related to licēre, which means "to be permitted."
7- Expand (v.):
- to open up: UNFOLD
- to increase the extent, number, volume, or scope of: ENLARGE
- to express at length or in greater detail
- to write out in full
Expend (v.):
- to pay out: SPEND
- to make use of for a specific purpose: UTILIZE
8- Formally (adv.):
- belonging to or constituting the form or essence of a thing
- relating to or involving the outward form, structure, relationships, or arrangement
of elements rather than content
Formerly (adv.):
- at an earlier time: PREVIOUSLY
9- All ready:
- entirely ready or prepared
Already (adv.):
- prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time
- by this time; PREVIOUSLY
10-Allusion (n.):
- an implied or indirect reference especially in literature
Illusion (n.):
- a misleading image presented to the vision: OPTICAL ILLUSION
- something that deceives or misleads intellectually
- perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause
misinterpretation of its actual nature

Allusion refers to the act of making an implied or indirect reference to something. An illusion is
either a mistaken idea or something that is false or not real but that seems to be true or real.