Page 64 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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C: SAT Words
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• The New York Yankees have been the Boston Red Sox’s fiercest competition
over the years for the AL crown.
• Lucy was always Desi’s competition when it came to getting attention from
an audience.
competitive* (kuhm PET it iv) adj. 1. of, involving, or based on competing; 2.
having a chance in a competition
• When it comes to job opportunities, quarterback is the most highly com-
petitive field.
• Jerri was always competitive with her twin sister, Merri.
• The Pacers basketball team’s eight-foot-tall center gave them a competitive
edge over all their likely opponents.
[-ness n., -ly adv.]
complain (kuhm PLAYN) vi. 1. to announce or express pain, displeasure, etc.; 2.
to find fault; state annoyance; 3. to make an accusation; make formal objection;
bring charges
• Frank’s mom loves hearing Frank complain how his toe hurts where he
stubbed it; just ask her.
• Barb’s neighbors often complain about her loud stereo.
• Betty complained to the police that Archie had damaged her front lawn
when he and Reggie trespassed on it.
[-ed, -ing, -er, -t n.]
complex (kuhm PLEKS for adj., KOM pleks for n.) adj. 1. made up of two or
more related parts; 2. not simple; 3. involved or complicated —n. 1. a collection of
interrelated ideas, activities, etc. that form a single whole; 2. a group of units, such
as buildings or roads, that together form a single whole; 3. an unconscious psycho-
logical condition related to a particular thing or activity
•A complex sentence has at least two clauses, one of which is independent
and one or more of which is subordinate.
• A camera is too complex an instrument to repair yourself.
• The interrelationship of characters in a Shakespearean play is usually quite
complex.
• The vitamin-B complex consists of at least 12 parts.
• A housing complex might contain a few storefronts for the convenience of
the tenants.
• The fact that April suffered from an inferiority complex did not necessarily
mean that she was not inferior.
[-ity adv.]
composure* (kum POH zhur) n. a calmness of mind or manner; tranquillity;
self-possession; one’s togetherness
• Though all about him were rife with excitement or dismay, Winston
Churchill seldom lost his composure.
• Composure is one of the most important conditions to retain to behave
rationally in an emergency.
[Syn. equanimity]