Page 205 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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radicalism* (RAD i kil IZ im) n. 1. the quality or state of being extreme, espe-
cially in political matters; 2. extreme in principles, ideas, methods, etc.
• Senator Brown’s penchant for radicalism brought him the admiration of his
friends and the distrust of his enemies.
• The surgeon’s reputation for radicalism made his patients think twice
before assenting to go under the knife.
rancorously (RAN kir uhs lee) adv. maliciously; spitefully; with continuous bit-
ter ill will or hatred
• The argument continued rancorously as each side showed its contempt for
the other.
• Peter treated double-parkers rancorously by letting the air out of their tires.
[rancorous adj.]
raucous (RAW kuhs) adj. 1. hoarse; rough sounding; 2. loud and bawdy
• The revelers had a raucous good time as they partied the night away.
• Gerald had a raucous laugh that reminded the average bystander of how a
grizzly bear might laugh.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]
reaction* (ree AK shin) n. 1. an opposing action or force; 2. a response to a
stimulus; 3. a moving backward to an earlier time’s condition or way of doing
things; extreme conservatism
• Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action there is an equal
and opposite reaction.
• When suddenly poked, it is a natural reaction to jump.
• The forces of reaction would move the country back to horse-and-buggy
times.
reactionary (ree AK shin ER ee) adj. characteristic of or advocating definition 3
of reaction —n. one who advocates same
• Reactionary forces wish to return the country’s economy to the gold
standard.
• The political opposite of a radical is a reactionary.
[reactionaries pl.]
rebellious (ri BEL yis) adj. 1. resisting authority; engaged in armed resistance
against the government; 2. of or like rebels; 3. opposing all control; defiant; 4.
difficult to treat
• There is usually one rebellious group or another trying to overthrow a
government in Central America.
• Teenagers frequently become rebellious against parental authority around
age 17.
• Dan struggled with a very rebellious cowlick of hair.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]

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