Category Archives: Glossary

Traumatized

Student Posts, Glossary

Traumatized - adjective

Definition: Psychiatry. to cause a trauma in (the mind)

Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Traumatize?s=t

Encounter: I encounter the word when I read the article “CAR Sees Child Soldier Increase” in December 21, 2014

Understand:  The word traumatize is used when Véronique Aubert (Senior Conflict & Humanitarian Policy and Research Adviser for Save the Children) said “many children are traumatized from witnessing violence or being forced to take part in it.” From that sentence, I did not understand what the word traumatize means until I looked up in the dictionary. Traumatize in the sentence means many children are injured in psychology by witnessing or be part in the violence. However, the word traumatized and traumatize is different, because this sentence using the word traumatize as an adjective with the past tense. In the end, I have learnt this word can be used as a verb and adjective depends on the sentence.

prostrate

Student Posts, ENG1101, Glossary

Adjective

Definition

1:  stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission; also  :  lying flat

2:completely overcome and lacking vitality, will, or power to rise

3. trailing on the ground

This word from Cora Unashamed by Langston Hughes. “All the family dressed in deep mourning. Mrs. Art was prostrate.”  This is a scene that on the funeral of Mrs. Art’s daughter. She shows like very weak and depressed. I’ve learned this word before, but forget some parts of its meaning, 

reference: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prostrate

Ubiquitous

Student Posts, Glossary

Ubiquitous (adj.) – existing or being everywhere at the same time :  constantly encountered. (merriam-webster.com)

I came across this word in the Ways of Seeing text on page 32 where it describes art. It says “For the first time ever, images of art have become ephemeral, ubiquitous, insubstantial, available, valueless, free.” I understand now from the definitions and the context clues in the sentence that ubiquitous means “open” or “surrounding”.

Conspiracy (n.)

Student Posts, Glossary

Conspiracy: a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal

I got the definition form Merriam-Webster website. I encountered the word in the Ways of Seeing text on page 32. It says “By refusing to enter a conspiracy, one remains innocent of that conspiracy. But to remain innocent may also be to remain ignorant.” I understand better now that a conspiracy is a bad thing mainly but can be a useful thing because not being innocent means not being ignorant in this text.

Behest

Coursework, Student Posts, Glossary

Behest - noun

Definition:

1: an authoritative order

2: an urgent prompting e.g. <called at the behest of my friends>

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behest

Encounter:
I was reading a New York Times article on penalty against CIA computer search and encountered this word behest, I had no idea what it meant so I looked it up. Behest is an authoritative order in this case, the behest of John O. Brennan. So it was the authoritative order of John O. Brennan.

Malware

Student Posts, Glossary, Coursework

Malware - noun

software designed to interfere with a computer’s normal functioning

Definition:
1: software designed to interfere with a computer’s normal functioning

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malware

Encounter:
I encountered this word in a New York Times article on the North Korea cyber attack on Sony, the attack sent Malware which damaged Sony’s computers and also stole information. I did not know what this was, but I’ve learned in Latin previously the root Mal meaning bad and taking a part from software, so I assumed it meant bad product or data or whatever, and it turns out I am correct.

Debilitated

Student Posts, Glossary, Coursework

Debilitated - verb

to make (someone or something) weak : to reduce the strength of (someone or something)

Definition:
1: to impair the strength of

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitated

Encounter:
I encountered this word in a New York Times article on the North Korea cyber attack on Sony, the attack had Debilitated Sony’s computers. From the context clues I could figure out the definition something around the lines of stopped them from working, so I looked up the actual definition after and it meant to weaken something such as the computers.

Warmonger

Student Posts, Glossary, Coursework

Warmonger - noun

a person who wants a war or tries to make other people want to start or fight a war

Definition:
1:  one who urges or attempts to stir up war

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warmonger

Encounter:
Same article in the New York Times about the Rapprochement with Cuba. Obama was criticized before for being a warmonger by Bolivia. Although I’ve seen this word before I did not know the exact definition so I looked it up. Warmonger is someone who wants war or stir up war, most likely Bolivia is talking about the United States this way due to all the action taken in the middle east.

Lambasted

Student Posts, Glossary, Coursework

Lambasted - verb

to criticize (someone or something) very harshly

Definition:
1:  to assault violently

2:  to attack verbally :  censure <critics lambasted his performance>

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lambasted?show=0&t=1419032264

Encounter:
 This was the same article as the one with Obama’s Rapprochement with Cuba. Latin American countries once Lambasted the united states now describe us with more welcoming words. Lambasted was to attack verbally which meant that they spoke ill of the United States.

Allegation

Student Posts, Glossary, Coursework

Allegation - noun

a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal

Definition:
1:  the act of alleging

2: a positive assertion; specifically :  a statement by a party to a legal action of what the party undertakes to prove

3: an assertion unsupported and by implication regarded as unsupportable e.g. <vague allegations of misconduct>

Source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegation

Encounter:
I was reading a article on the New York Times about how evidence is often mishandled by the F.B.I. it was alleged that there were missing and mislabeled evidence which is certainly shady dealings. In this case its the idea that the F.B.I. may have been doing something wrong or illegal