The World of Words: Vocabulary for College Success ... - eLibrary

Words to Learn 1436. equivocal (adjective) ˘-kw˘və-kəlFrom Latin: equi- (equal) vox (voice) (When something isequivocal, it seems as if two equally strong voices are sendingdifferent messages.)a. open to different interpretations, often misleading, or avoidingthe truthEquivocal results from testing during pregnancy left theparents unsure if the baby would suffer from cysticfibrosis. (There is no intention to mislead in thissentence.)The president’s equivocal reply, “I will serve our nationalinterest,” did not answer the question of whether hewould support a war. (In this sentence, there is anintention to mislead, or avoid the truth.)b. doubtful, uncertainAlthough her books are bestsellers, her position as a greatwriter is equivocal. Related Wordsequivocate (verb) (˘-kw˘və-kāt) “I might have been around thearea,” the suspect equivocated, when asked where he was onthe night of the robbery.equivocation (noun) I was annoyed by my boss’s continualequivocation whenever I asked for some vacation time.re-7. resilient (adjective) r˘-z˘lyəntCopyright © Cengage Learning. All Right Reserved.From Latin: re- (back) and salire (to jump)Able to recover quickly from problems; easily adjusting to changeAfter the vicious attacks of 9/11 killed many employees, theresilient company of Cantor Fitzgerald started to rebuild.The resilient citizens began rebuilding their town as soonas the floodwaters went down. Related Wordresilience (noun) Refugees from war and violence often showgreat resilience in starting new lives in other countries.8. revelation (noun) rĕv-lāshənFrom Latin: re- (back) vēlāre (to veil) This makes revēlāre, “todraw back the veil.” (When a veil is drawn back, somethingsurprising or even shocking may be discovered.)dramatic disclosure; surprising news