Page 217 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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satire (SAT ah yir) n. a literary work, or works, that uses sarcasm, irony, etc. to
expose and attack or deride vices, foibles, etc.
• The earliest known satires are the plays of Aristophanes.
• In the guise of a travelogue, Gulliver’s Travels is one of the most famous
satires of the nineteenth century.
• Mark Twain was especially adept at satire, as was Oscar Wilde.
[satiric adj., satirically adv.] [Syn. caricature, wit]
scalpel (SKAL pil) n. a small, light knife with a very sharp blade used by surgeons
and for dissections
•A scalpel was the only way of making surgical incisions before the arrival of
the surgical laser.
• Going in for an operation is often referred to as “going under the scalpel.”
scapegoat (SKAYP goht) n. a person, place, or thing upon which the crimes or
misdeeds of others are blamed
• Being a scapegoat has a long tradition in history, beginning with an ancient
king who kept a goat around to take the blame for everything.
• Killing the messenger who brought the bad news continued the tradition
of using a scapegoat.
scholar (SKAH lir) n. 1. a learned person; 2. the recipient of scholarship assis-
tance; 3. any pupil
•A scholar used to refer exclusively to a learned person, or one learned in a
particular field, such as a biblical scholar or an art scholar.
• Former President Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar, which means, in
essence, that he was paid to study at Oxford.
• My youngest scholar just finished kindergarten.
[Syn. pupil]
scientific (SY in TIF ik) adj. 1. of or pertaining to science; 2. based on the prin-
ciples of science, rather than superstition or conjecture; 3. proven methods
• It is a scientific fact that gravity pulls everything toward the center of the
earth.
• Many scientific principles were discovered and/or stated by Sir Isaac
Newton.
• Before a medicine is approved by the FDA for public use, it must be
scientifically proven to be more helpful than it is harmful.
[scientifically adv.]
scientist (SY in TIST) n. a specialist whose profession is one of the physical,
earth, or life sciences (that is, biology, geology, astronomy, chemistry, and physics)
• A physician who specializes in research is a scientist.
• Social scientists, such as sociologists and psychologists, are not considered
true scientists by the scientific establishment.