Page 159 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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literary (LIT oer ER ee) adj. 1. having to do with books or writing; 2. tending
toward the more formal, polished language of writing rather than that of everyday
speech; 3. familiar with or well versed in literature (the classics)
• A library can be thought of as a living museum of literary works.
• It is doubtful that anyone ever spoke in the literary language that charac-
terizes Shakespeare’s plays.
•A literary critic must have enough experience to be able to judge a work
against many other examples.
literature (LIT er uh TYUR) n. 1. all writings in prose or poetry, especially of an
imaginative nature, without regard to their merit, distinguished from those of sci-
entific writing, reporting of news, etc.; 2. those writings considered to have lasting
merit, either because of their excellence of form or the value of their examples; 3.
printed matter of any kind
• The literature of the late twentieth century runs the gamut from the philos-
ophy of the existentialists to the adventures of Harry Potter.
• The classics of literature comprise a number of books that have survived for
centuries and are still being reproduced.
• Among the less lasting literature of recent years, we must count the bill-
boards extolling the merits of certain drinks.

QUICK REVIEW #52

Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.

1. lame a. lettered
2. languid b. glue
3. latent c. legality
4. lavish d. precise
5. legislation e. collection

6. legislator f. writings
7. legitimacy g. laws
8. levee h. dike
9. liberal i. potential
10. library j. lawmaker
11. linchpin k. profuse
12. literal l. generous

13. literary m. ineffectual
14. literature n. sluggish