Lesson 7: Separation

These words all share the Latin root AB, which means 'away from.' They describe actions or qualities related to moving away, being separate from, or keeping a distance.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The teacher’s abrasive tone made it hard for students to ask questions without feeling intimidated.
• Opportunities for volunteer work abound in the city, from animal shelters to community gardens.
• The thief tried to abscond with the stolen jewelry before anyone noticed.
• I abhor cruelty to animals and always speak up when I see it.
• She was remarkably abstemious, choosing a small salad over dessert even at the party.

🧠Memory Trick:

• The abstemious monk, who chose to keep away from worldly pleasures, would abhor the loud and abrasive city where temptations abound, making him want to abscond to his quiet monastery.

Next up are words from the Latin root CERNO, meaning 'to separate' or 'to decide.' These words are all about perception, judgment, and finding out the truth.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• The detective's job was to ascertain the facts of the case by carefully examining all the evidence.
• It takes a trained eye to discern the difference between a genuine antique and a convincing forgery.
• They were gossipy and not always discreet.

🧠Memory Trick:

• Using a discreet method, the investigator was able to ascertain the secret code and discern the hidden message.

This group of words breaks things down! They all come from the Latin root FRANGO, meaning 'to break,' and relate to breaking laws, rules, or boundaries.

Key Words

📝Example Usage:

• Building a fence that goes onto your neighbor's yard is a way to infringe upon their property rights.
• Forgetting to return a library book on time is a minor infraction of the rules, but it can lead to a fine.
• He was an advocate of universal suffrage as a basis for social equality.

🧠Memory Trick:

• The protestors argued that to deny women's suffrage was a major infraction of civil rights that would infringe upon their freedom.