English Words in Action, Group O +(active examples of vocabulary words being used in the context of sentences) Simply click on this banner (or the following link) and you will be on your way to stimulate your brain for greater word comprehension with quizzes based on some of the words in this unit.oaf (OHF)
1. Tell that oaf (nincompoop, imbecile) to quit making so much noise in the library!
2. That oaf (numskull, simpleton) wouldn't know the meaning of the word even if he looked it up in the dictionary. oasis (oh AY sis)
1. The road went through the oasis (green spot made by water) in the desert.
2. The library was an oasis (haven, refuge) of quiet and information. oath (OHTH)
1. Every U.S. President must take an oath (pledge) to uphold the Constitution.
2. The carpenter let out a stream of oaths (curses, profanities) when he hit his thumb with the hammer. obdurate (AHB doo rit, AHB dyoo rit)
1. The little boy was obdurate (stubborn, unmanageable) in refusing to eat his vegetables.
2. The tyrant was obdurate (uncaring, callous) in his treatment of prisoners. Obdurate comes from Latin ob-, "against" + durus, "hard"; therefore "hardened against". The Latin durus, "hard"; has also given English such words as durable and duration, "the period of time during which anything is hard enough to last", and duress, "hard treatment which forces someone to do something, coercion". Links to all of the groups of English words in action, Groups A to Z. You may see the bibliographic list of sources of information for these words in action. If there are any numbers below, use them to see other pages in this unit.Back to Index | Search Box | Main Index The Main-Get Words pageThe + sign which might appear at the end of a unit title means all of the words in that unit have definitions.
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