Lesson No. 43

Word # 1

Besmirch (verb)

Definition: damage (someone’s reputation) / to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them / to blacken or taint (as a person's reputation) by word or deed / make (something) dirty or discoloured

       

Sentence: 1. He had besmirched the good name of his family. 2. You have besmirched my good name and my credit standing. 3. In order to besmirch the reputation of his opponent, Clay made sure to bring up the subject of the senator's tax troubles during their first debate. 4. His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation. 5. The little boy besmirched his underwear because he did get to the toilet on time.  6. The ground was besmirched with blood.

Word # 2

Paradox (noun)

Definition: a person or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities / a situation or statement which seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics / a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true

 

Sentence: 1. It is a paradox that computers need maintenance so often, since they are meant to save people time. 2. As an actor, he's a paradox—he loves being in the public eye but also deeply values and protects his privacy. 3. It would be considered a paradox that standing is more tiring than walking. 4. To her friends, Dana's ability to eat whatever she wants without gaining any weight is a paradox.

Word # 3

Tramp (noun / verb)

Definition: a poor person with no home, job or money who travels around and asks for money from other people / a foot traveler / to walk heavily or noisily / to travel over as a tramp

 

Sentence: 1. Unemployment made him a tramp. 2. They gave food to hungry tramp. 3. The tramp tramped along the High Street wearily. 4. The police encouraged the tramps that were sleeping in the park to spend the bitterly cold night in the homeless shelter. 5. He had tramped all over the city.

Word # 4

Gimmick (noun)

Definition: a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or trade / something which is not serious or of real value that is used to attract people's attention or interest temporarily, especially to make them buy something

Sentence: 1. They give away free gifts with children's meals as a sales/marketing gimmick. 2. A publicity gimmick / a fund-raising gimmick 3. It is not so much a programme to improve services; it’s just a gimmick to gain votes. 4. The idea may be only the latest gimmick in a trade driven by consumer appetites. 5. I believe, e-book readers are the next gimmick after the iPod mania.

Word # 5

Seclusion (noun)

Definition: when someone is alone, away from other people / the state of being private and away from other people / the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others

Sentence: 1. He sought seclusion in his study. 2. He's been living in seclusion since he retired from acting. 3. In some societies women are kept in seclusion, so that they are hardly ever seen in public. 4. They enjoyed ten days of peace and seclusion. 5. After being with a tour group all week I was glad to return to the seclusion of my own home.