Lesson 14: Order and Disorder in the Universe

Let's explore words that describe change, transformation, or the lack thereof. These words all stem from the idea of altering something's form or nature.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• Some people believe in immutable mathematical relationships that are valid everywhere.
• Desperate to escape the monster, the wizard hoped to transmute himself into a bird and fly away.

🧠Memory Trick

• Despite countless permutations in the plan, the hero's immutable goal was to transmute lead into gold.

Ready to take a risk? These words describe foolish boldness and recklessness, for when caution is thrown to the wind.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• He had the temerity to argue with the referee, a decision that got him ejected from the game.
• The stunt pilot performed a temerarious maneuver, flying the plane upside down just feet above the ground.

🧠Memory Trick

• The temerarious knight had the temerity to challenge the dragon all by himself.

From calm to chaos, these words deal with being agitated, confused, or remaining perfectly unflustered.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• Despite the chaos erupting around her, the emergency room doctor remained imperturbable and focused on her patient.
• After the storm, the once-clear stream became turbid with mud and debris.

🧠Memory Trick

• The imperturbable detective refused to let the turbid details of the case perturb him.

These words are all about spreading things around, whether it's seeds, rumors, or a crowd of people.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• Casting an aspersion on a colleague's work is an unprofessional way to handle a disagreement.
• The police arrived and ordered the crowd to disperse from the town square.

🧠Memory Trick

• The politician tried to disperse the crowd after his rival cast an aspersion on his character.

Finding the right balance is key with these words, which relate to self-restraint and moderation.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• A strong advocate for temperance, she argued for moderation in all things, especially in diet.
• You should temper your criticism with a few compliments to make it easier for him to accept.

🧠Memory Trick

• He learned to temper his passion for sweets with temperance to improve his health.

From the bizarre to the almost-last, these words describe things that are final, unconventional, or leading up to the end.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The hero faces his greatest challenge in the penultimate chapter, just before the final resolution.
• The company issued an ultimatum to the striking workers: return to work by Monday or be replaced.

🧠Memory Trick

• In a rather outré move, he delivered an ultimatum on the penultimate day of negotiations.