Lesson 30
Size and Shape
1. amorphous: without definite form; shapeless
2. gargantuan: huge; gigantic; prodigious. The word comes from Rabelais sixteenth-century political satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel
3. iota: very small quantity; a jot. iota is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet
4. lissome: supple; limber; flexible
5. macrocosm: the great world; the universe. The opposite of this is microcosm
6. magnitude: greatness of size or extent; importance of influence
7.magnum opus: a great work, especially of art or literature
8. microcosm: a little world; miniature universe. It is the opposite of macrocosm.
9. micrometer: an instrument for measuring very small distance, angles, diameters. In Latin, micro means small and meter means to measure.
10. scabrous: rough with small points or knobs; bumpy; scaly; full of difficulties. In Latin, scabere means “to scratch”
11. scintilla: the least trace; a particle. In Latin, scintilla means “a spark”
12. serpentine: evilly cunning or subtle; treacherous; coiled; twisting.
13. sinuous: bending; wavy. The word sinus (“a cavity in the bones of the skull”) is related to sinuous.
14. smidgen: a small amount; a bit. This word is related to “midge” or midget.
15. tenuous: unsubstantial; flimsy; physically thin.
Exercises
I. Which word comes to mind?
In each of the following, read the statement then circle the word that comes to mind.
1. A writer spends ten years preparing his masterpiece.
(macrocosm, magnum opus, micrometer)
2. Cyclops had an enormous appetite
(scintilla, gargantuan, microcosm)
3. A graceful gymnast
(lissome, smidgen, iota)
4. An indefinite proposal
(serpentine, scabrous, tenuous)
5. The actress adopted a sexy walk
(amorphous, magnitude, sinuous)
6. A doctor carefully measures the size of the tumor
(amorphous, micrometer, scabrous)
7. The overthrow of the government began with the act of treachery
(serpentine, scabrous, lissome)
8. An insignificant amount
(sinuous, scintilla, gargantuan)
9. A face knotted with bumps and rough spots
(amorphous, tenuous, scabrous)
10. A trace of seasoning
(microcosm, smidgen, magnum opus)
II. True or False?
In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false?
____ 1. The microcosm of the man reflects the macrocosm of the universe
____ 2. The magnitude of the Grand Canyon frequently awes travelers
____ 3. A tenuous idea is often offered hesitantly
____ 4. Two words in this lesson that are closely related are smidgen and iota
____ 5. The amorphous scheme was spelled out in such detail that it was grasped by all
____ 6. The scabrous surface reminded one of the shiny smoothness of a marble table
____ 7. The million dollar gift exemplified his gargantuan kindness
____ 8. The lissome ballerina glided through her performance with unparalleled grace
____ 9. Fielding's Joseph Andrews was his magnum opus.
____ 10. Frank's tenuous explanation was hardly enough to justify his outburst
III. Fill in the Blank
Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below
1. Because of the _________________ of the offense, the judge set a high bail
2. Space exploration advances suggest that our civilization has developed in a very limited ___________________.
3. Mr. Ludwig would not admit that his business success had been achieved through _________________ tactics
4. The race was so close it would take a(n) ___________________ to measure who was the winner
5. Margaret Mitchell's __________________ Gone With the Wind was her only book
6. There was not a _____________________ of truth to the accusation
7. The team had a(n) ________________ hold on first place until a rash of injuries sent them reeling.
8. The commencement speaker told the graduates that the road to success is full of __________________ turns.
9. Cleaning up after the parade proved to be a __________________ task.
10. The strange creature we found on the beach was so __________________, we could not identify its species.
IV. What's the Antonym?
Which of the new words is most nearly the opposite in meaning to the one provided?
1. sturdy ________________________
2. diminutive ________________________
3. smooth ________________________
4. having form ________________________
5. wooden ________________________
6. straight ________________________
7. inflexible ________________________
8. insignificance ________________________
9. universe ________________________
10. amateur attempt ________________________