Page 343 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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Essential Vocabulary
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substantive (SUB stin tiv or sub STAN tiv) adj. 1. considerable in amount or
quantity; 2. having real existence; actual; 3. of or relating to legal rights, as distin-
guished from procedural matters
•A substantive quantity is the same as a substantial quantity.
• For a matter to be substantive it must be actual rather than theoretical, for
example, an error of commission rather than one of omission.
• A person who has invested money in a company has a substantive interest
in the success of that organization.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. actual]
subsume (suhb SOOM) vt. 1. to include within a larger group or class; 2. to
demonstrate or show that something is covered by an existing rule or law
• No law is required to allow you the freedom to speak in a public park
because that is subsumed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
• If the Pennsylvania state legislature tried to pass a capital punishment law
instituting drawing and quartering, any opposing legislator could prove
that such a law is subsumed by the Constitution’s prohibition of cruel or
unusual punishment.
[-d, subsuming]
summarily (suh MER i lee) adv. 1. promptly and without formality; expeditious;
2. hastily and arbitrarily
• The libel case was dismissed by the court summarily.
• Randy summarily jumped to the conclusion that his brother had damaged
his car.
[summary adj.] [Syn. expeditiously]
superimpose (SOO poer im POHZ) vt. to place or lay one thing on top of
something else; stack; overlay
• Many striking photographic images have been obtained by superimposing
two or more different images.
• It is a mistake to superimpose your moral code on somebody else.
[-d, superimposing]
sympathetic (SIM puh THET ik) adj. 1. of, showing, feeling, or expressing sym-
pathy; 2. in agreement with one’s feelings, tastes, and so on; congenial; 3. showing
favor, agreement, or approval
• It is never out of style to be sympathetic to another person’s loss.
• Mary was sympathetic toward Joseph’s love of red cars.
• Tom’s parents were sympathetic to his desire to continue his education in
graduate school.
[-ally adv.] [Syn. tender, congenial]