标题: Let's learn words by roots [打印本页] 作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-25 10:25 AM 标题: Let's learn words by roots
From now on, I will post four words including the roots, meaning and examples everyday. They are excerpted from the book: Merriam-Webster Vocabulary Builder, a very good book. You may find it at your local foreign book store.
BELL comes from the Latin word meaning "war". Bellona was the little-known Roman goddess of war; her husband, Mars, was the god of war.
antebellum Existing before a war, especially before the American Civil War(1861-65)
eg. When World War I was over, the French nobility found it impossible to return to their extravagant antebellum way of life.
Often the word antebellum summons up images of ease, elegance, and entertainment on a grand scale that disappeared in the postwar years. That way of life in the american South depended on a social structure that collapsed after the war. The years after the Civil War-and many other wars-were colored for some people by nostalgia and bitterness(Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the wind shows this through the eyes of the Southern gentry), and for others by relief and anticipation.
bellicose Warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome.
eg.The country often elected the more bellicose party after a peroid of tension along the border, hoping that military action would result.
The internaitonal relations of a nation with a bellicose foreign policy tend to be stormy and difficult, since such a nation looks for opportunities to fight rather than to negotiate. Combative by nature, it is happiest when quarreling or, better yet, actively engaged in battle.
belligerence Aggressiveness, combativeness.
eg. The belligerence in Turner's voice told them that the warning was a serious threat.
The belligerence of Marlon Brando's performance as the violent Stanley Kowalski in A streetcar Named Desire electrified the country. Belligerent speeches by leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States throughout the Cold War kept the world on edge for years. Iraq's shocking belligerence toward Kuwait and its own Kurdish people resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.
rebellion Open defiance and opposition, sometimes armed, to a person or thing in authority.
eg. The substitute teacher attempted to end the student rebellion by insisting on absolute quite.
These days, some degree of rebellion against parents and other authority figures is viewed as a normal part of growing up, as long as it is not destructive and does not go on too long. Rebellion, armed or otherwise, has ofter served to alert those in power to the discontent of those they control. The American War of Independence was first viewd by the British as a minor rebellion that would soon run its course.
[ Last edited by cupidamor on 2006-6-26 at 06:59 PM ]作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-26 06:42 PM PAC/PEAS is related to the Latin words for "agree" and "peace". The Pacific Ocean - that is, the "Peaceful Ocean" - was named by Magellan because it seemed so calm after the storms near Cape Horn. (He obviously never witnessed a Pacific hurricane.)
pacify (1) To soothe anger or agitation. (2) To subdue by armed action.
eg. It took the police hours to pacify the angry demonstrators.
Unhappy babies are ofter given a rubber device for sucking called a pacifier to make them stop crying. In the same way, someone stirred up by anger or some other strong emotion can usually be pacified by resolving or removing its causes. In a usuage that became popular during the Vietnam War, pacification of an area meant using armed force to neutralize the enemy there and to quiet the local people who may have been supporting them.
pacifist A person opposed to war or violence, especially someone who refuses to bear arms or to fight, on moral or religious grounds.
eg. Always a strong pacifist, in later life he took to promoting actively the cause of peace and nonviolence.
Pacifists have not always met with sympathy or understanding. Refusing to fight ever for any reason, or even just in a particular situation when the reasons for fighting seem clear to many others, calls for strong faith in one's own moral or religious convictions, since it has often resulted in persecution by those who disagrre. The Quakers and the Jehovah's Witnesses are pacifist religious groups; Henry D. Thoreau and Martin Luther King are probably the most famous American pacifists.
pact An agreement between two or more people or groups; a treaty or formal agreement between nations to deal with a problem or to resolve a dispute.
eg. The girls made a pact never to reveal whta had happened on that terrifying night in the abandoned house.
Since a pact often ends a period of unfriendly relations, the word has "peace" at its root. Pact is generally used in the field of international relations, where we often speak of an "arms pact" or a "fishing-rights pact". But it may also be used for a solemn agreement or promise between two people.
appease To make peaceful and quiet; to calm, satisfy.
eg. The Aztecs offered mass human sacrifices - of 80,000 prisoners on one occasion! - in order to appease their gods.
When the European nations agreed to let Adolf Hilter take over part of Czechoslovakia in 1938, in a vain attempt ot prevent a larger war, their opponents shouted that they were practicing a foolish appeasement that was doomed to fail. (They were right - within months Hilter had violated the pact). A child's anger may be appeased with a little effort; an angry god or goddess may demand something extreme. We may speak of hunger being appeased by food. Appeasing usually involves giving something, whereas pacifying can refer to anything from stroking a baby to using armed force to stop an uprishing.
[ Last edited by cupidamor on 2006-6-26 at 07:00 PM ]作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-27 08:14 PM HOSP/HOST comes from the Latin word hospes and its stem hospit- meaning both "host" and "guest". Many words based on it came to English through French, which often dropped the -pi-, leaving host-.Hospitality is what a good host or hostess offers to a guest. A hospital was once a house for religious pilgrims and other travelers, or a home for the aged.
hostage A person given or held to ensure that an agreement, demand, or treaty is kept or fulfilled.
eg. The kidnappers released their hostage unharmed once all their demands were met.
Opponents in war sometimes exchange hostages to ensure that a truce or treaty remains unbroken. Hostages may also be taken by kidnappers or terrorists or rebels to use in bargaining for money or concessions. It may seem strange that the word hostage is connected with host and in fact with guest as well, since hostages are now unwilling guests, at the mercy of their hostile hosts.
hospice A place or program to help care for the terminally ill.
eg. Uncle Harold was moved to the hospice only after my aunt had almost collapsed with exaustion while caring for him.
In the middle ages, hospices run by monks and nuns gave shelter and food to travellers and the poor. Now, hospices are institutions that take care of people who are too ill to be at home but whose lives cannot be saved by hospital care - often those with incurable cancer or AIDS, for example. More and more American are relying on "home hospice care" - care by visiting nurses and volunteers for terminally ill patients who have decided to live their last months at home.
hostel An inexpensive, supervised place for young travellers to stay overnight.
eg. Generations of American college students have travelled through Europe cheaply by staying at hostels instead of hotels.
Throughout Europe and in some other parts of the world, a network of youth hostels provides cheap, safe(although not always quiet) overnight shelter for younger bicyclists, and canoeists. The United States has over 200 youth hostels, many of them in New England. Worldwide, there are more than 5,000.
inhospitable (1)Not welcoming or generous; unfriendly. (2) Providing no shelter or food (such as a desert).
eg. Shot down by government agents, the smuggler struggled for survival on the rocky, inhospitable island.
An inhospitable host fails to make his guests comfortable, in order to show them they are unwelcome. An inhospitable territory, such as Death Valley or Antarctica, may be barren and harsh in its climate. In a similar way, a country may be called inhospitable to democracy, just as a company may be called inhospitable to new ideas.作者: 网普科技 时间: 2006-6-27 10:05 PM 连载？作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-27 10:12 PM yep作者: 网普科技 时间: 2006-6-27 10:19 PM 斑竹辛苦了作者: celn 时间: 2006-6-29 05:20 PM 555
我也要当斑竹作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-29 10:31 PM AM/IM comes from the Latin word amare, "to love" Amiable means "friendly or good-natured", and amigo is Spanish for "friend".
amicable Friendly, peaceful
eg. Their relations with their in-laws were generally amicable, despite some bickering during the holidays.
Amicable often describes relations between two groups or especially two nations - for example, the United States and Canada, which are proud of sharing the longest ungurarded border in the world. When amicable describes personal relations, it tends to indicate a rather formal friendliness.
enamored Charmed or fascinated; inflamed with love.
eg. Rebecca quickly became enamored of the town's rustic surroundings, its slow pace, and its eccentric characters.
Computer hackers are always enamored of their new programs and games. Millions of readers have found themselves enamored with Jane Austen's novels. And Romeo and Juliet were utterly enamored of each other. (Note that both of and with are commonly used after enamored. )
inimical Hostile, unfriendly, or harmful.
eg. This latest report, like so many earlier ones, found that too great a concern with test scores was inimical to a broad education.
The in- with which inimical begins negates the meaning of the root. This word rarely describes a person; instead, it is generally used to describe forces, concepts, or situations. For example, high inflation may be called inimical to economic growth; tolerance of racist comments in an office may be seen as inimical to minorities; and rapid population growth may be inimical to a country's standard of living.
paramour A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom.
eg. He was her paramour for many years before she finally divorced her husband.
Paramour includes the prefix par-, " by or through." This implies a relationship based solely on love, often physical love, rather than on a social custom or ceremony. Today it usually refers to the lover of a married man or woman.
[ Last edited by cupidamor on 2006-6-29 at 10:37 PM ]作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-6-30 08:14 PM CRIM comes from the Latin for “fault or crime” or “accusation”, and produces such English words as crime and criminal.
criminologyThe study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, and punishment.
Eg. His growing interest in criminology led him to become a probation officer.
Criminology includes the study of all aspects of crime and law enforcement – criminal psychology, the social setting of crime, prohibition and prevention, investigation and detection, apprehension and punishment. Thus, many of the people involved – legislators, social workers, probation officers, judges, etc. – could possibly be considered criminologists, though the word usually refers to scholars and researchers only.
decriminalize To remove or reduce the criminal status of.
Eg. An angry debate over decriminalizing doctor-assisted suicide raged all day at the statehouse.
decriminalization of various “victimless crimes” – crimes that do not directly harm others, such as private gambling and drug-taking – has been recommended by conservatives as well as liberals, who claim that it would ease the burden on the legal system and decrease the amount of money flowing to criminals. Decriminalization is sometimes distinguished from legalization, since it may still call for a small fine like a traffic ticket, or it may apply only to use or possession, leaving the actual sale of goods or services illegal.
incriminate To show evidence of involvement in a crime or a fault.
Eg. The muddy tracks leading to and from the cookie jar were enough to incriminate them.
We often hear of incriminating evidence, the kind that strongly links a suspect to a crime. Verbal testimony may incriminate by placing the suspect at the scene of the crime or describe behavior that involves him or her in it. We can also say that a virus has been incriminated as the cause of a type of cancer, and that television has been incriminated in the decline in study skills among young people.
recrimination An accusation in retaliation for an accusation made against oneself; the making of such an accusation.
Eg. Their failure to find help led to endless and pointless recriminations over the responsibility for the accident.
Defending oneself from a verbal attack by means of a counterattack is almost as natural as physical self-defense. So a disaster often brings recriminations among those connected with it, and divorces and battles over child custody usually involve recriminations between husband and wife.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-2 02:41 PM PROB/PROV comes from the Latin words for "prove or proof" and "honest or integrity". To prove a statement is to "make it honest", and probate court is where the genuineness of the wills of deceased people must be proved.
approbation A formal or official act of approving; praise, usually given with pleasure or enthusiasm.
eg. The senate signaled its approbation of the new plan by voting for it unanimously.
Approbatoin indicates both formal recognition of an accomplishment and happy acceptance of it. An official commendation for bravery is an example of approbation. Getting reelected to office usually indicates public approbation. The social approbation that comes from being a star quarterback in high school makes all the pain worthwhile.
disprove To show that something is not what it has veen claimed to be; refute.
eg. A week before the election he was still struggling to disprove his opponent's lies about his connections to organized crime.
Disprove, which includes the negative prefix dis-, is clearly the opposite of prove. One may have to disprove something for which the evidence has already been accepted, so the disprover often encounters violent objections to the new evidence that weakens the old. Galileo was forced to deny the new findings with which he and Copernicus had disproved the old conception of the earth's being at the center of the planetary system.
probity Absolute honesty and uprightness.
eg. Her unquestioned probity helped win her the respect of her fellow judges.
Probity is a quality the American public generally hopes for in its elected officials but doesn't always get. Bankers, for example, have traditionally been careful to project an air of probity; the savings-and-loan scandal of the 1980s has made it even more necessary. An aura of probity surrounds such public figures as Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers, men to whom many Americans would entrust their children and their finances.
reprobate A person of thoroughly bad character.
eg. Finally, on the verge of physical and financial ruin, the reprobate dropped his lowlife friends, joined AA, and begged his wife to come back.
Reprobate(which includes the prefix re, "back or backward") is often said in a tone of joshing affection. The related verb is reprove or "scold", since the reprobate deserves a constant scolding. Shakespeare's great character Falstaff - a lazy, lying, boastful, sponging drunkard - is the model of an old reprobate.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-3 10:31 PM GRAV comes from the Latin word meaning "heavy, weighty, serious." Thus, a grave matter is serious and important.
gravid Pregnant or enlarged with something.
eg. The gravid sow moved heavily from through to tree, where she settled into the shaded dust and lay unmoving for the rest of the afternoon.
Gravid implies weight and bulk, but actually describes a pregnant female even at an early stage of her pregnancy. It has the related senses of inflation that results from any cause and that will lead to a change of some kind. Thus, a writer may be gravid with ideas as she sits down to write; a speaker may make a gravid pause before announcing his remarkable findings; and a cloud may be gravid with rain.
gravitas Great or very dignified seriousness.
eg. The head of the committee never failed to carry herself with the gravitas she felt was appropriate to her office.
This word comes to us straight from Latin. Among the romans, gravitas was thought to be essential to the character and functions of any adult (male) in authority. Even the head of a household or a low-level official would strive for this important quality. We use gravitas today to identify the same solemn dignity in men and women.
gravitate To move or be drawn toward something, especially by natural tendency or as if by an invisible force.
eg. During hot weather, the town's social life gravitated toward the lake.
To gravitate implies a natural, perhaps irresistible, response to a force that works like gravity, drawing things steadily to it as if by their own weight. Thus, moths gravitate to a flame, children gravitate to an ice-cream truck, gawkers gravitate to an accident, and everyone at a party gravitates to the bar.
gravity Weighty importance, seriousness, or dignity.
eg. Laughing and splashing each other, they failed to realize the gravity of their situation until the canoe was within twenty feet of the falls.
Although closely related to gravitas,gravity can apply to situations and problems as well as to people. Gravity in the physical sense is, of course, what gives us weight and holds us on the earth. But weight can also mean seriousness. Thus, gravity in the nonphysical sense can mean seriousness in a person's manner but also the seriousness or danger in a situation.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-4 09:32 PM LEV comes from the Latin adjective levis, meaning "light", and the verb levare, meaning "to raise or lighten." Levitation is the magician's trick in which a body seems to rise into the air by itself. And a lever is a bar used to lift something by means of leverage.
alleviate To lighten, lessen, or relieve, especially physical or mental suffering.
eg. Cold compresses alleviated the pain of the physical injury, but only time could alleviate the effect of the insult.
Physical pain or emotional anguish, or a water shortage or traffic congestion, can all be alleviated by providing the appropriate remedy. However, some pain or anguish or shortage or congestion will remain: to alleviate is not to cure.
elevate (1) To lift up or raise. (2) To raise in rank or status.
eg. Last year's juniors have been elevated to the privileged status of seniors.
An elevator lifts things up. You may elevate a sprained ankle to reduce the swelling. when a Boy Scout reaches the rank of Eagle Scout, his rank is as elevated as it can get. Elevated language is language that, as in many poems and speeches, sounds format or intellectual or in some way "higher" than common speech.
leavening Something that lightens and raises; something that modifies, eases, or animates.
eg. That speech was on a dull subject - "Microeconomic Theory in the 1970's" - but its leavening of humor made the time pass quickly.
The word leavening, when used in the kitchen, usually refers to yeast or baking powder. (Unleavened bread is often hard and dense; when it is used in religious ceremonies, it may be intended as a reminder of past hardship.) Young children may provide the leavening at a family reunion, and a cheerful receptionist may be the leavening in an otherwise dull office.
levity Frivolity, lack of appropriate seriousness.
eg. The puritan elders tried to ban levity of all sorts from the community's meetings.
Levity originally was thought to be a physical force exactly like gravity but pulling in the opposite direction. Even as late as the last century, scientists were arguing about its existence. But today levity refers to lightness in manner. This was once regarded as almost sinful, so the word has an old-fashioned ring to it and is usually used in a half-serious tone of disapproval.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-5 10:02 PM Words from Mythology and History
cicerone A guide, especially one who takes tourists to museums, monuments, or architectural sites and explains what is being seen.
eg. While in Paris, they placed themselves in the care of a highly recommended cicerone to ensure that they saw and learned what was most noteworthy.
Cicerones (or ciceroni) take their name from the Roman statesman and orator Cicero, who was renowned for his long-windedness as well as for his elegant style, though they rarely match his scholarship or eloquence.
hector To bully; to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure.
eg. He would swagger around the apartment entrance with his friends and hector the terrified inhabitants going in and out.
In the Iliad, Hector was the leader of the Trojan forces, and the very model of nobility and honor. In the war against the Greeks he killed several great warriors before being slain by Achilles. His name began to take on its current meaning only after it was adopted by a crowd of bullying young rowdies in late-17th-century London.
hedonism An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal.
eg. In her new spirit of hedonism she we went for a massage, picked up champagne and chocolate truffles, and made a date with an old boyfriend for that evening.
Derived from the Greek word for "pleasure", hedonism over the ages has provided the basis for several philosophies. The ancient Epicureans and the more modern Utilitarians both taught and pursued hedonistic principles. Hedonism is often said to be more typical of those living in southern and tropical climates than of northerners, but it varies greatly from person to person everywhere.
nestor A senior figure or leader in one's field.
eg. After dinner the guest of honor, a nestor among journalists, shared some of his wisdom with the other guests.
Nestor was another character from the Iliad, the eldest of the Greek leaders at Troy. He was noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged.These days a nestor need not go on at such length; he may share his knowledge or give advice with few words.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-6 09:07 PM Words from Mythology and History
spartan Marked by simplicity and often strict self-discipline or self-denial.
eg. His spartan life bore no relation to the lush language of his poetry.
In ancient times, the Greek city of Sparta had a reputation for enforcing a highly disciplined, severe way of life among its citizens so as to keep them ready for war at any time. The city required physical training for men and women and maintained a common dining hall and communal child care, but provided few physical comforts. The term spartan today may sometimes suggest communal life (for example, in the army) but always significant strictness and frugality.
stentorian Extremely loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.
eg. Even without a microphone, his stentorian voice broadcast the message of peace to the farthest reaches of the auditorium.
Stentor, like Hector, was a warrior in the Iliad, but on the Greek side. His unusually powerful voice made him the natural choice for delivering announcements and proclamations to the assembled Greek army. One who speaks in a stentorian voice thus can be heard clearly at a considerable distance.
stoic seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.
eg. She bore the pain of her broken leg with stoic patience.
The stoics were members of a philosophical movement that first appeared in ancient Greece and lasted through the Roman ear. They taught that humans should seek to free themselves from joy, grief, and passions of all kinds in order to attain wisdom. They have given their name to a personal attitude that some cultures and indifiduals still proudly cultivate.
sybaritic Marked by a luxurious or sensual way of life.
eg. Eventually their sybaritic excesses consumed all their savings and forced them to lead a more restrained life.
The ancient city of Sybaris, founded by the Greeks in Italy, was famous for the wealth and hedonistic self-indulgence of its citizens, whose love of extravagance and sensuality made sybaritic a term for such leanings in any era.作者: 网普科技 时间: 2006-7-6 10:05 PM 支持一下楼主
楼主辛苦了：）作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-13 08:59 PM So sorry for long departure. I am back now 作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-13 09:42 PM AG comes from the Latin word for "do, go, lead, drive." An agenda is a list of things to be done. An agent is usually someone who does things on behalf of another, just as an agency is an office that does business for others.
agitate (1) To move something with an irregular, rapid, violent action. (2) To stir up or excite.
eg. Philip found Louisa highly agitated at the news of her son's disappearance.
Agitate can mean to shake or stir something physically, but more often its meaning is emotional or political. Agitation for a cause - a new union, civil rights, a change of govenment - involves talking it up, passing out information, and holding meetings, though sometimes as secretly as possible. An agitated person or animal usually feels severely anxious and upset, not pleasantly excited.
litigate To carry on a lawsuit by judicial process.
eg. If the company chooses to litigate, it may give the protesters the chance to make their points even more effectively in the courts and newspapers.
Litigation has become almost a way of life in America, where there are many more lawyers than in any other country on earth. In this increasingly litigious society, the courts have been overwhelmed with petty disputes. Television has responded to the trend by producing heroes like Judge Wapner of People's Court, a man who can show litigants the absurdity of their case while rendering a just verdict. (The Latin litigare includes the root lit, "lawsuit,")
prodigal Recklessly or wastefully extravagant; spendthrift.
eg. Rodney had been the most prodigal with his expected inheritance and had the most to gain from a redistribution of the estate.
The Latin prodigere means "to squander" - that is, to "drive away" money and goods. In the biblical story of the prodigal son, the father welcomes home the spendthrift and now-penniless young man, despite his prodigality, just as the Church stands ready to welcome back the repenting sinner. Prodigal can apply to more than money. Farmers may make prodigal use of their soil, or may give their animals prodigal amounts of antibiotics. Rich countries are almost always prodigal with their resources. In a bloody and pointless war, lives are lost on a prodigal sale.
synagogue The center of worship and communal life of a Jewish congregation; temple.
eg. Though the neighborhood was now dangerous at night, the older members refused to move and abandon the beloved synagogue they had attended since the 1940s.
Synagogue begins with the prefix syn-, "together," so the word refers basically to "coming together." Synagogues have existed for more than 2,500 years. The oldest synagogue in America, dating from 1763, was built in Rhode Island, the most religiously tolerant of the original thirteen colonies.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-15 11:34 AM VEN/VENT comes from venire, the Latin verb meaning "come". To intervene in a case or an argument is to "come between" the two opponents. An avenue is a street, or originally an access road by which to "come toward" something. Groups "come together" at a convention.
advent A coming or arrival; a coming into use.
eg. The advent of spring was always marked by the blue crocuses pushing up through the snow.
Advent includes the prefix ad-, "to or toward", and thus means basically a "coming toward". The Advent season in the Christian religion consists of the weeks leading up to Christmas, when the coming of Christ is anticipated. The advent of mass printing with Gutenberg's printing press in the mid-15th century had an enormous effect on European society and politics; the advent of the computer in the mid-20th century has promised to change ours even more profoundly.
provenance Origin or source.
eg. The wedding guests wondered about the provenance of this mysterious woman, about whom Seth had never breathed a word.
Provenance refers to any source or origin in general, but is used particularly to refer to the history of ownership of a piece of art, which may be necessary to prove that a work is authentic. The provenance of Rubens's paintings is varied; some have been in a single family or in a single museum for centuries, while some have been lost without a trace, leaving their provenance a mystery. Tracing the provenance of an idea or invention such as televison may be a complicated task.
venturesome Inclined to seek out risk or danger; bold, daring, adventurous.
eg. Kate, with her bungee jumping, free-falling, and rock climbing, had always been the most venturesome of the four.
America, perhpas with a touch of arrogance, likes to think of itself as a land of venturesome people who ush fearlessly forward in all ages and in all fields, and it clearly took a venturesome spirit to mount the successful flight to the moon that ended in July 1969. In past centuries, however, the most venturesome explorers were to be found in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Britain - that is, the rich countries on the sea or ocean.
venue (1) The place where a trial is held. (2) The locale of an event.
eg. To Dr. Slaughter the important thing was to get a change of venue; hoping to conceal his past, he wanted a judge who knew him neither by sight nor by reputation.
The importance of venue in jury makeup and the subsequent outcome of a trial was vividly shown in the famous Rodney King case. A surburban jury acquitted the men accused of beating King; after a change of venue, an urban jury convicted two of the men. The venues of championship boxing matches, on the other hand, are chosen with maximum profits in mind.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-18 10:44 PM CAP/CEP/CIP comes from capere, the Latin verb meaning "take, seize." Capture, which is what a captor does to a captive, has the same meaning. Captivate once meant literally "capture," but now means only to capture mentally through charm or appeal. In some other English words this root produces, its meaning is harder to find.
reception (1) The act of receiving. (2) A social gathering where guests are formally welcomed.
eg. Although the reception of her plan was enthusiastic, it was months before anything was done about it.
Reception is the noun form of receive. So at a formal reception guests are received or welcomed or "taken in." If your idea for a great practical joke gets a lukewarm reception, it has not been well-received or accepted. Bad TV receptoin means the signal isn't being received well. And when a new novel receives good reviews we say it has met with a good critical reception.
incipient Starting to come into being or to become evident.
eg. He felt the stirrings of incipient panic as he riffled through the file and realized that the letter had been removed.
An incipient career as an actor in New York tends to involve a lot of waiting on tables while waiting for auditions. Identifying a cancer at its incipient stage may allow its development to be slowed or reversed. An environmental pessimist may speak of the incipient extinction of whales or bald eagles.
perceptible Noticeable or able to be felt by the senses.
eg. Her change in attitude toward him was barely perceptible, and he couldn't be sure that he wasn't imagining it.
Perceptible includes the prefix per-, meaning "through," so the word refers to whatever can be taken in through the senses. A perceptive person picks up hints and shades of meaning that others can't perceive. Such people rely on their sharp perceptions, their observations of whatever kind. So very often what is perceptible to one person - a tiny sound, a slight change in the weather, a different tone of voice - will not be to another.
susceptible (1) Open to some influence; responsive. (2) Able to be submitted to an action or process.
eg. Impressed with her intelligence and self-confidence, he was highly susceptible to her influence.
With its prefix sus-, "up", susceptible refers to what "takes up" or absorbs like a sponge. When negotiating the settlement of World War II at Yalta with Churchill and Roosevelt, Stalin may have found the other two susceptible to his threats and bullying and thus managed to hold on to much of Eastern Europe. Students are usually susceptible to the teaching of a strong and imaginative professor. In a similar way, a sickly child will be susceptible to colds, and an unlucky adult will be susceptible to back problems.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-20 10:55 PM FIN comes from the Latin word for "end" or "boundary." Final describes last things, and a finale or a finish is an ending. But its meaning is harder to trace in some of the other English words derived from it.
eg. He knew of Carl's affinity to both wine and violence, and intended to take advantage of them.
Affinity gives a sense of things touching along their boundaries and therefore being of interest to each other. Felix Mendelssohn showed an affinity for music at a very early age and composed several fully developed symphonies while still in his teens; Stevie Wonder revealed his own musical affinity long before he made his debut at the age of 10. A strong affinity for another person may deepen into love. a critic may notice affinities between the works of two writers. A naturalist may speak of the affinity between two bird species - that is , their close physical relation to each other.
definitive (1)Authoritative and final.(2) Specifying perfectly or precisely.
eg. The team's brilliant research provided a definitive description of the virus and its strange mutation patterns.
Something definitive is complete and final. A definitive example is the perfect example. A definitive biography contains everything we'll ever need to know about someone. Ella fitzgerald's 1950s recordings of American popular songs have even been called definitive, though no one has ever wanted them to be the last.
infinitesimal Extremely or immeasurably small.
eg. Looking more closely at the research data, he now saw an odd pattern of changes so infinitesimal that they hadn't been noticed before.
Infinitesimal includes the negative prefix in-, "not"; the resulting word describes something endlessly small. When Antonie van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope in the 17th century, he was able to see organisms that had been thought too infinitesimally small to exist. But today's electron microscope allows us to see infinitesimal aspects of matter even he could not have imagined.
finite Having definite limits.
eg. Her ambitions were infinite, but her wealth was finite.
It came as a shock to America in the early 1970s to realize that world and national resources were finite rather than unlimited. The debate continues as to whether the universe is finite or infinite and, if it is finite, how to think about what lies beyond it. Religion has always concerned itself with the question of the finite (that is, human life on earth) versus the infinite (God, eternity, and infinity). But finite is mostly used in scientific writhing, often with the meaning "definitely measurable"
[ Last edited by cupidamor on 2006-7-20 at 10:56 PM ]作者: celn 时间: 2006-7-21 02:45 PM 好勤劳哦作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-22 11:17 AM not really作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-22 11:47 AM JAC/JEC comes from jacere, the Latin verb meaning "throw" or "hurl." To reject something is to throw (or push) it back. To eject something is to throw (or drive) it out. To object is to throw something in the way of something else.
adjacent (1)Near, neighboring. (2) Sharing a comon boundary or border.
eg. The warehouse was adjacent to the junction of the two raging rivers, so the body could have been quickly disposed of.
Adjacent contains the prefix ad-, "near or toward", so what is adjacent lies near its neighbor. In the former Yugoslavia, the Serbs and Croats have seized adjacent land from the Bosnians. Anyone buying a house is naturally curious about who lives on the adjacent lots. In geometry we speak of adjacent sides and angles. Though in each of these cases adjacent "touching", it may also mean simply "neighboring" or "nearby."
conjecture To guess.
eg. They could conjecture that he had met his end in the Andes at the hands of the guerrillas.
Formed with the prefix con-, conjecture means literally "to throw together" - that is, to produce a theory by putting together a number of facts. From his calculations, Columbus conjectured that he would reach Asia if he sailed westward. His later conjecture of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific over the North American continent was eventually proved correct, but only after hundreds of years had passed.
dejected Downcast, depressed.
eg. Despite the glorious weather, they walked home from the hospital dejected.
Dejected, which includes the prefix de-, meaning "down", literally means "thrown down" or "cast down". It usually refers to a temporary state of mind - for example, the mood of a losing football team or a rejected lover - rather than onging depression.
trajectory The curved path that an object makes in space, or that a thrown object follows as it rises and falls to earth.
eg. Considering the likely range, trajectory, and accuracy of a bullet fired from a cheap handgun at 150 yards, the murder seemed incredible.
Formed with part of the prefix trans-, "across", trajectory means a "hurling across." By calculating the effect of gravitational and other forces, the trajectory of an object launched into space at a known speed can be computed precisely. Missiles stand a chance of hitting their target only if their trajectory has been plotted accurately. Though the word is most used in physics and engineering, we can also say, for example, that the trajectory of a whole life may be set in a person's youth, or that a historian has described the long trajectory of the French empire in a new book.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-23 04:14 PM TRACT comes from trahere, the Latin verb meaing "drag or draw." Something attractive draws us toward it. A tractor drags other vehicles behind it, with the help of the traction of its wheels.
detract To decrease the importance, value, or effectiveness of something.
eg. None of the gossip in the new biography detracts in the leasst from her greatness as a writer.
With the prefix de-, meaning "away", detract means "draw away from." A fact that doesn't match up with the rest of the prosecution's case detracts from it. Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate converup was felt to detract so seriously from his ability to carry out his presidential duties that he had to resign, especially after his detractors had impeached him. (Don't confuse detract with distract, which means "take attention away from.")
protracted Drawn out, continued, or extended.
eg. No one was looking froward to a protracted struggle for custody of the baby.
Protracted usually applies to something drawn out in time. A protracted strike may cripple a company; a protracted rainy spell may rot the roots of vegetables. Before Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin discovered vaccines to prevent polio, the many victims of the disease had no choice but to suffer a protracted illness and its permanent aftereffects.
retraction A taking back of withdrawal; a denial of what one has previously said.
eg. The following week, the newspaper reluctantly printed a retraction of the errors in the article, but the damage had been done.
The prefix re- ("back") gives retraction the meaning of "drawing back." Someone who has been wrongly accused may demand a retraction from his accuser - though today it seems more likely that he'll just go ahead and sue. Thousands of citizens were forced to publicly retract their "wrong" ideas by the Soviet government in the 1930s and the Chinese government in the 1960s. Retractions tend to be rather formal and rarely private.
intractable Not easily handled, led, taught, or controlled.
eg. The army's corruption was known to be the country's intractable problem, and all foreign aid ended up in the colonels' pockets.
intractable simply means "untreatable", and even comes from the same root. It may describe both people and conditions. An intractable alcoholic goes back to the bottle immediately after "drying out." A cancer patient may suffer intractable pain that doctors are unable to treat. Homelessness is now regarded by many as an intractable problem - though it existed twenty years ago.
[ Last edited by cupidamor on 2006-7-25 at 09:54 PM ]作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-7-31 08:58 PM SEC/SEQU comes from he Latin verb sequi, meaning "to follow." A sequel the original novel, film, or television show. The second follows the first. But a nonsequitur is a conclusion that does "not follow" from what was said before.
consequential (1) Resulting. (2) Important.
eg. None of our discussions thus far has been very consequential; next week's meeting will be the important one.
Something that is consequential follows or comes along with something else. The "resulting" meaning of consequential is usually seen in legal writing. For example, "consequential losses" are losses that are claimed to have resulted from some important behavior, about which the lawyer's client is suing. But normally consequential means "significant" or "important", and is especially used for events that will produce large consequences or results.
execute (1) To carry out or perform. (2) To put to death legally or formally.
Execute joins ex-, "out," and sec to produce the meaning "follow through" or "carry out". An artist executes (or produces) a painting or sculpture only after having planned it first. A policy or regulation must have been prepared before it can be executed (or put into practice). And a person may be executed (or put to death) by the state only after a death sentence has been issued.
obsequious Excessively submissive, obedient, or flattering.
eg. Since he loves flattery, he surrounds himself with obsequious people, none of whom he ever really trusts.
A man may be obsequious toward his overbearing wife, or vice versa. Obsequious assistants are often called "yes-men" or "toadies" or even less complimentary things behind their backs. (Uriah Heep, in David Copperfield, is probably the most famous example in literature.) obsequiousness has never been admired, but it has often been adopted as a good strategy.
sequential (1) Arranged in order or in a series. (2) Following in a series.
eg. In writing the history of the revolution, he found it hard to put some of the events in sequential order.
Things in sequence, or regular order, are arranged sequentially, Most novels and films move sequentially, but some use techniques such as flashbacks that interrupt the movement forward in time. Sequential courses in college must be taken in the proper order, just as sequential tasks or steps must be done in order.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-2 09:11 PM Words from Mythology
apollonian Harmonious, ordered, rational, calm.
eg. After years of Romantic emotionality, many artists began to adopt a more apollonian style, producing carefully detailed patterns and avoiding extremes of all kinds.
The god Apollo governed the sun, light, and music. Due partly to the work of Nietzsche and other German scholars, we now associate Apollo with the forces of calm rationality and may call anything that has these qualities apollonian. This is not the whole story, however. Apollo was also the god of prophecy, so he was not entirely a force of reason; he had a terrible temper and an appetite for young girls as well.
bacchanalian Frenzied, orgiastic.
eg. The bacchanalian partying on graduation night resulted in three wrecked cars, two lawsuits by unassumed parents, and more new experiences than most of the participants could remember the next day.
The Roman god of drama, wine and ecstasy, Bacchus was the focus of a widespread celebration, the Bacchanalia, at which there was wine in abundance and celebrants were expected to cut loose from normal restraints and give in to all sorts of wild desires. The festivities got so out of hand that in 186 B.C. the Roman authorities had them banned. Much the same baccanalian spirit fills New Orlean's Mardi Gras carnival each year.
delphic Unclear, ambiguous, or confusing.
eg. All she could get from the old woman were a few delphic comments that left her more confused than ever about the missing documents.
Delphi in Greece was the site of a temple to Apollo at which there was an oracle, a woman through whom Apollo would speak, foretelling the future. The Greeks consulted the oracle frequently on matters both private and public. The prophecies were given in obscure poetry that had to be interpreted by priests, and even then was subject to disatrous misinterpretation. Modern-day descendants of the oracle include some political commentators, who continue to utter words of delphic complexity each week.
Dionysian Frenzied, orgiastic.
eg. Only in the tropics did such festivals become truly Dionysian, he said, which was why he was booking his flight to Rio.
Dionysus was the Greek forerunner of Bacchus. He was the inventor of wine, the first intoxicant, which he gave to the human race. For that gift and for all the uninhibited behavior that it led to, Dionysus became immensely popular, and he appears in a great many myths. He is often shown with a wine goblet, his hair is full of vine leaves, and he is frequently attended by a band of goatfooted satyrs and wild female spirits called maenads. The Greek Dionysian worship began as solemn rituals but eventually became great celebrations with much drunken lewdness.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-3 08:33 PM jovial Jolly, expansively good-natured.
eg. Their grandfather was as jovial as their grandfather was quiet and withdrawn.
Jove, or Jupiter, was the Roman's chief god. He was generally a cheerful, sociable, fatherly figure, although his anger could destroy offenders in a flash. Every department-store Santa Claus strives to attain this appearance of generous joviality.
mercurial Having rapid and unpredictable changes of mood.
eg. His mother's always mercurial temper became even more unpredictable, to the point where the slightest thing would trigger a violent fit.
The god Mercury and the planet named for him were thought to govern eloquence and cleverness. As the god's messenger, with his winged cap and sandals, he was the very symbol of speed. The planet Mercury was named for him because it is the fastest of the planets. His name was also given to the liquid silver metal that skitters out of one's hand so quickly it is almost impossible to hold. A mercurial person isn't necessarily physically quick, but changes moods with bewildering speed.
olympian Lofty, superior, and detached.
eg. The mafia don's manner grew increasingly olympian as he aged, but the old-timers could still remember when he was a hotheaded young thug.
The Greek gods lived high atop Mount Olympus, which allowed them to watch what went on in the human realm below and intervene as they saw fit. But they tended not to worry much about the affairs of these weak and short-lived creatures, although they did insist on being properly worshiped by them. We American voters sometimes feel that Congress treats us in an olympian manner as it determines how our money will be spent.
venereal Having to do with sexual intercourse or diseases transmitted by it.
eg. In the 19th century syphilis especially was often fatal, and venereal diseases killed some of the greatest figures of the time.
Venus was the Roman goddess of love, the equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite. Since she governed all aspects of human sensuality and sexuality, she has given her name to the diseases acquired through sexual contact. Most of these venereal diseases have been around for centuries, but only in this century have doctors devised tests to indentify them or medicines to cure them. Today the official term is sexually transmitted disease, or STD; but even this name turns out to be ambiguous, since some of these diseases can be contracted in other ways as well.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-6 10:31 AM AMBI/AMPHI means "on both sides" or "around"; ambi comes from Latin and amphi- from Greek. An ambidextrous person can use the right and the left hand equally well. An amphibian such as a frog or salamander, is able to live and breathe both on land and in the water.
ambiguous (1) Doubtful or uncertain especially from being obscure or indistinct. (2) Unclear in meaing because of being understandable in more than one way.
eg. Successful politicians are good at giving ambiguous answers to questions on controversial issues.
Ambiguous comes from the Latin verb ambigere, "to be undecided," which in turn includes the verb agere, "to drive." Something that is ambiguous drives the observer in two directions. When we speak of eyes as being of an ambiguous color, we mean that we cannot decide which color they are - blue or green? The ambiguity of the smile of the Mona Lisa makes us wonder that she's thinking about. An ambiguous order is one that can be taken in at least two ways. An order to "shut up!", on the other hand, may be very rude, but at least it's unambiguous.
ambient Existing or present on all sides.
eg. The ambient lighting in the restaurant was low, but there was a bright candle at each table.
A scientist might measure how long it takes a heated substance to cool to the ambient temperature, the temperature of the surrounding air. Ambient light is the light that fills an area or surrounds something that is being viewed, like a television screen or a painting. A restaurant with low ambient light and candles at each table is probably trying for a romantic ambience, or atmosphere.
ambivalent (1) Holding opposite feelings and attitudes at the same time toward someone or something. (2) Continually wavering between opposites or alternate courses of action.
eg. He was extremely ambivalent about the trip: he badly wanted to travel but hated to miss the summer activities at home.
Ambivalent is a fairly new word, less than a hundred years old, but it is utlimately related to the Latin verb valere,which means "to be strong." An ambivalent person is someone who has strong feelings on more than one side of a question or issue. We might feel ambivalence about accepting a high-paying job that requires us to work long hours, or about lending money to someone we like but don't know well. Anyone who has ever been on a diet and been offered something like a Tutti-Frutti Chocolate Banana Sundae E1 Supremo probably knows what it's like to feel ambivalent.
amphitheater (1) An oval or circular building with an open area ringed by rising tiers of seats, used in ancient Rome for contests and spectacles. (2) A large modern theater or stadium.
eg. The romans held popular contests between gladiators or between gladiators and wild beasts in their amphitheaters.
The basic design of an amphitheater reflects the forms of entertainment for which it was originally built: gladiatorial contests and other spectacles. The most famous of the ancient amphitheaters was Rome's Flavian Amphitheater, now more commonly known as the Colosseum. Built between 70 and 82 A.D., this structure could hold nearly 50,000 people. The ruins of more than 75 amphitheaters have been found in the ancient lands that were once part of the Roman Empire.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-8 10:57 PM EP/EPI comes from Greek and means variously "upon", "besides", "attach to", "over", "outer", or "after". An epiphenomenon is a phenomenon that occurs as a result of the original phenomenon. An epicenter is the portion of the earth's surface directly over the focus of an earthquake. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin, overlying the inner layer or "dermis."
ephemeral (1) Lasting a day only. (2) Lasting a very short time.
eg. The benefits from the strategy will only be ephemeral, but we'll be paying for it for years to come.
Something that is literally ephemeral is "over" in a day,hemera being the Greek word for "day". Ephemeral plants such as daylilies have blooms that last only a day. More often, though, ephemeral is not to be taken quite so literally. In the world of show business, for example, fame is apt to be breathtakingly ephemeral, a year in the limelight followed by total obscurity.
epiphyte A plant that obtains its nutrients from the air and the rain and usually grows on another plant for support.
eg. The strangler fig begins life as an epiphyte on a tree branch, drops its tendrils to take root in the ground around the trunk, and slowly covers and strangles the tree to death.
Epiphytic plants are sometimes also known as "air plants" because they seemingly survive on thin air. They rely on their host plants merely for physical support, ont nourishment. Tropical epiphytes include orchids, ferns, and members of the pineapple family. To a newcomer in the tropical rainforest, the sight of a great tree with large epiphytes hanging from every level can be eerie and astonishing. The less interesting epiphytes of the temperate zone include lichens, mosses, and algae.
epitaph An inscription on a grave or tomb in memory of the one buried there.
eg. The great English architect Christopher Wren designed London's majestic St. Paul's Cathedral, the site of his tomb and epitaph: "Simonumentum requiris, circumspice" ("If you seek my monument, look around you" )
Epitaph includes the root from the Greek word taphos, "tomb" or "funeral." Traditionally, epitaph refers to a tombstone inscription, but it can also refer to brief memorial statements that resemble such inscriptions. One of the most famous is Henry Lee's epitaph for George Washington: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
epithet (1) A descripitive word or phrase occurring with or in place of the name of a person or thing. (2) An insulting or demeaning word or phrase.
eg. King Richard I was known by the epithet "Lionhearted".
Sometimes an epithet follows a given name, as in Erik the Red and Billy the Kid. Other times, the epithet precedes the personal name, as in Mahatma ("Great-souled" ) Gandhi. Sitll other times, the epithet is used in place of the actual name, as in the case of El Greco ("the Greek" ) and El Cid ("the Lord" ). In its other commonly used sense, epithet refers to a name intended to insult or mock someone. When enemies are said to be "hurling epithets" at each other, it means they are exchanging angry insults.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-12 08:52 AM HYPO/HYP as a prefix can mean variously "under", "beneath", "down", or "below normal". Many hypo- words are medical. A hypodermic needle injects medication under the skin. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can be just as unhealthy as hypertension, and hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, just as unhealthy as diabetes.
hypochondriac A person unduly concerned with health and often suffering from delusions of physical disease.
eg. Hercule Poirot, the dapper hero of agatha Christie's mysteries, is a notorious hypochondriac, always trying to protect himself from drafts.
One disease a hypochondriac really does suffer from is hypochondria,which is the mental depression that comes from worring too much about health and is often accompanied by delusions of physical ailments. Somewhat surprisingly, hypochondria derives from hypo- and chondros, the Greek word for "cartilage." The cartilage is question is that of the sternum, or breastbone. From ancient times medical authorities had believed that certain internal organs or regions were the seat of various diseases, both physical and mental. The region beneath the centrally located breastbone was thought to be the seat of hypochondria.
hypocrisy A pretending to be what one is not or to feel what one does not really feel.
eg. The protesters were objecting to the hypocrisy of doing business with a government whose racist policies were condemned by everyone.
Hypocrisy comes from a Greek word that means "the act of playing a part on a stage." A hypocrite is a person who says or does one thing while thinking or feeling something entirely different underneath. Most of us are good at detecting hypocritical behavior in others, but we don't always see it so easily in ourselves.
hypothermia Subnormal temperature of the body.
eg. By the time rescuers were able to pull the skater from the pond's icy waters, hypothermia had reached a life-threatening stage.
Hypothermia may constitute a grave medical emergency. Typical causes include submersion in icy water and prolonged exposure to cold. Hypothermia begins to be a concern when body temperature dips below 95 degree F. Below 90 degree F, the point at which the normal reaction of shivering ceases, emergency treatment is called for.
hypothetical (1) Involving an assumption made for the sake of argument or for further study or investigation. (2) Imagined for purposes of example.
eg. The presidential candidate refused to say what she would do if faced with a hypothetical military crisis.
Hypothetical and its parent word hypothesis comes from hypo- and the Greek verb tithenai, "to put". To hypothesize is to suppose, or to put (something) under consideration. Hypothetical applies to something that is assumed to be true so that it can serve as the basis for a line of reasoning. Thus, the theory that the dinosaurs became extinct because of a giant meteor striking the earth involves the hypothesis that such a collision would have certain effects on the earth's climate.作者: cupidamor 时间: 2006-8-15 10:38 PM THERM/THERMO comes from the Greek word meaning "warm." A thermometer measures the amount of warmth in a body, the air, or an oven; a thermostat makes sure the temperature stays at the same level. In a thermodynamic process, heat affects the behavior of atoms, particles, or molecules. Thermoelectricity is produced by the direct action of heat on certain combinations of metals.
thermal (1) Of, relating to, or caused by heat. (2) Designed to insulate in order to retain body heat.
eg. The glider circled slowly, seeking a thermal updraft from a plowed field that would take it spiraling upward.
Before polypropylene and thermal weave, union suits - that is, long thermal underwear that covered the entire body - were sometimes donned in October and not taken off until April. Worn by sodbusters, cowboys, and townsfolk alike, they kept America warm during its formative years. They undoubtedly also kept America itchy and a little on the smelly side through the cold months. But then, bathing even once a week was considered the height of cleanliness until very recently.
thermoclinel The region in a body of water that divides the warmer, oxygen-rich surface layer from the colder, oxygen-poor deep water.
eg. The warm water above the termocline is relatively shallow: for most of the world's oceans the top layer is only about 150 to 300 feet deep.
The -cline of thermocline comes from a Greek word meaning "to slope" and refers to the gradual series of temperature changes that occur in this kind of zone. In a freshwater lake there is very little mixing between the layers of warm and cold water during the summer. During the autumn, however, a major turnover occurs. The oxygen-rich surface water cools and sinks to the bottom, and the nutrient-rich water near the bottom is displaced to the top. The cycle is reversed the following spring.
thermocouple A device for measuring temperature that makes use of the way different metals respond to heat.
eg. Thermocouples can be used to measure temperatures as high as 2300 C or as low as -270 C, far beyond the range of ordinary thermometers.
Thermocouples use wires made of two different metals, such as copper and iron. The wires are joined at both ends; one end is placed against the object whose temperature is being measured, while the other end is kept at a known, constant temperature. The thermocouple generates a voltage that depends on the difference in temperature between the two joined ends of the wires and can be measured to obtain the temperature of the object.
thermonuclear Of or relating to the changes in the nucleus of atoms with low atomic weight, such as hydrogen, that require a very high temperature to begin.
eg. During the 1950s and 1960s american families built thousands of home underground shelters to protect themselves from thermonuclear blasts.
The sun's light comes from a sustained thermonuclear reaction deep sithin it. On earth, such thermonuclear reactions have been used to develop the hydrogen bomb, a bomb based on a fusion reaction that must be triggered by a fission bomb that uses uranium or plutonium. "Litter Boy" and "Fatman", the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ti end World War II, were fission bombs. The thermonuclear era began only in 1952, and has produced bombs hundreds of times more powerful.
