Page 230 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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• When two people transport a piano up a hill on a dolly, the person in the
rear sustains the bulk of the weight.
• The audience’s reaction to Sybil’s recital was enough to sustain her in
pursuing her musical career.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. prolong, support]
symphony* (SIM fi nee) n. 1. harmony of sounds, especially of musical instru-
ments; 2. harmony of colors; 3. something noted for harmonious composition;
4. an extensive composition of many parts for a full orchestra
• A well-harmonized quartet produces a symphony of sounds to be enjoyed
by all.
• Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is a symphony of ochres and shades of yellow.
• The opening four chords of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony might be the most
recognizable four chords of all time.
synergistic (SIN oer JIS tik) adj. the simultaneous working together of several
organs or agencies
• Lifting a heavy object without injuring oneself requires a synergistic work-
ing of muscles in the back, arms, and legs.
• The Department of Homeland Security was a synergistic effort to create a
more effective agency than the separate agencies that comprised it.
[-ally adv.]
synonymous (sin AHN im is) adj. equivalent or similar in meaning; having the
nature of a synonym; being another word or name for
• For many years, but no longer, the word “Volkswagen” was synonymous
with inexpensive, economical transportation.
• Cliff’sQuickReviews are synonymous with study guides.
• Aspirin, which for many years was synonymous with painkiller, was origi-
nally a brand name of the Bayer company.
[-ly adv.]
synthesize (SIN the SYZ) vt. to put together different parts to form a whole; to
assemble
• A chemist can synthesize salt from sodium and chlorine.
• An electronic instrument can synthesize different timbres and frequencies
to simulate the sounds made by real musical instruments.
[-d, synthesizing]