ANGLOSAXON PREFIXES.docx

1、ANGLOSAXON PREFIXESANGLO-SAXON PREFIXES WHAT IS A PREFIXA prefix is a sound (or combination of sounds) placed before and connected to a word or root to form a new word. Examples:PREFIXWORD OR ROOTNEW WORDFORE (Anglo-Saxon prefix meaning beforehand+ SEE= FORESEE (meaning see beforehandDIS (Latin pref

2、ix meaning apart+ SECT (root meaning cut)= DISSECT (meaning cut apartHYPER (Greek prefix meaning over)+ CRITICAL= HYPERCRITICAL (meaning overcritical) WHY STUDY PREFIXES?A knowledge of prefixes and their meanings can help you enlarge your vocabulary. The number of English words beginning with prefix

3、es is considerable, and it keeps increasing. Once you know what a particular prefix means, you have a clue to the meaning of every word beginning with that prefix. For example, when you learn that the Latin prefix bi means two, you are better able to understand and remember the meaning of bipartisan

4、 (representing two political parties), bilingual (speaking two languages), bisect (cut in two), etc. Our prefixes come mainly from Anglo-Saxon (Old English), Latin, and Ancient Greek.1. FORE-: beforehand, front, beforeWORDMEANINGTYPICAL USEForearm(literally, front part of the arm) part of the arm fr

5、om the wrist to the elbowHenry protected his face from Georges blows by raising his forearms.Forebear (ant. Descendant)(literally, one who has been or existed before) ancestor; forefatherJohn F. Kennedys forebears migrated to America from Ireland.ForebodingFeeling beforehand of doming trouble; misgi

6、ving; presentimentThe day before the accident, I had a foreboding that something would go wrong.ForecastEstimate beforehand of a future happening; prediction; prophecyHave you listened to the weather forecast for tomorrow?Forefront (literally, front part of the front) foremost place or part; vanguar

7、dIn combat the officer was always in the forefront of the attack, leading his men on to victory.ForgoingGoing before; precedingCarefully review the foregoing chapter before reading any further.ForemostStanding at the front; first; most advanced; leading; principal; chiefDid you know that Benjamin Fr

8、anklin was one of the foremost inventors of the eighteenth century?ForeshadowIndicate beforehandOur defeat in the championship game was foreshadowed by injuries to two of our star players in a previous game.Foresight(ant. Hindsight)Power of seeing beforehand what is likely to happen; prudenceForesig

9、ht is better than hindsight.ForewordFront matter preceding the text of a book; preface; introductionBefore Chapter I, there is a brief foreword in which the author explains why he wrote the book.2. MIS-: bad, badly, wrong, wronglyWORDMEANINGTYPICAL USEMisbeliefWrong or erroneous beliefPeople thought

10、 the earth was flat until Columbus corrected that misbelief.MisdeedBad act; wicked deedThe wrongdoer was punished for his misdeed by a fine and imprisonment.Misfire(literally, fire wrongly) to fail to be fired or exploded properlyThe bear escaped when the hunters rifle misfired.MisgivingUneasy feeli

11、ng; feeling of doubt or suspicion; foreboding; lack of confidenceDad has no misgivings when Mother takes the wheel, because she is an excellent driver.MishapBad happening; misfortune; unlucky accident; mischanceRight after the collision, each driver blamed the other for the mishap.MislayTo put or la

12、y in an unremembered place; loseYesterday I mislaid my biology book, and it took me about a half hour to find it.MisleadTo lead astray (in the wrong direction); deceive; delude; beguileSome traffic signs are so confusing that they mislead the traveler.MisstepWrong step; slip in conduct or judgment;

13、blunderQuitting school is a misstep that you may regret for the rest of your life.3. OUT-: beyond, out, more than, longer (faster, better) thanWORDMEANINGTYPICAL USEOutgrowTo grow beyond or too large forThe jacket Dad bought me last year is too small. I have outgrown it.OutlandishLooking or sounding

14、 as if it belongs to a (foreign) land beyond ours; strange; fantasticA masquerade is always interesting because people come in such outlandish costumes.OutlastA looking beyond; prospect for the futureThe outlook for unskilled laborers is not bright, as their jobs are gradually being taken over by ma

15、chines.Output(literally, what is put out) a yield or product; an amount producedThe output of the average American factory worker is steadily increasing.OutrunTo run faster thanWe scored a touchdown when Joel caught a forward pass and outran his pursuers.OutspokenSpeaking out freely or boldly; frank

16、; not reservedMarty sometimes hurts others when he criticizes their work because he is too outspoken.OutwitTo get the better of by being more cleverIn Sir Arthure Conan Doyles detective stories, Sherlock Holmes manages to outwit the cleverest criminals.4. OVER-: too, excessively, over, beyondWORDMEA

17、NINGTYPICAL USEOverbearingDomineering over others; inclined to dictateWhen the monitor gave too many orders, the teacher scolded him for being overbearing.OverburdenTo place too heavy a load on; burden excessively; overtaxIt would overburden me to have my piano lesson Thursday because I have so much

18、 homework on that day.OverconfidentToo sure of oneself; excessively confidentI was so sure of passing that I wasnt going to study, but dad advised me not to be overconfident.OverdoseQuantity of medicine beyond what is to be taken at one time or in a given period; too big a doseDo not take more of th

19、e medicine than the doctor ordered; an overdose may be dangerous.OverestimateTo make too high an estimate (rough calculation) of the worth or size of something or someone; overvalueJoe overestimated the capacity of the bus when he thought is could hold 60; it was room for only 48.OvergenerousToo lib

20、eral in giving; excessively openhandedBecause the service was poor, Mother thought Dad was overgenerous in leaving the waiter a 15% tip.OvershadowTo cast a shadow over; be more important than; outweighGarys errors in the field overshadowed his good work at the plate.OversupplyToo great a supply; an

21、excessive supplyWe have a shortage of skilled technicians but an oversupply of unskilled workers.OverwhelmTo cover over completely; overpower; overthrow; crushThe department store guards were nearly overwhelmed by the crowds of shoppers waiting for the sale to begin.5. UN-: not, lack of, do the oppo

22、site of, remove or release fromWORDMEANINGTYPICAL USEUnabridgedNot abridged; not made shorter; completeThough an abridged dictionary is convenient to use, it contains far fewer definitions than an unabridged dictionary.UnbiasedNot biased; not prejudiced in favor of or against; fairDont ask the mothe

23、r of a contestant to serve as a judge because it may be hard for her to remain unbiased.UnconcernLack of concern, anxiety, or interest; indifferenceThe audience was breathless with anxiety during the daring tightrope act, though the acrobats themselves performed with seeming unconcern for their own

24、safety.Undeceive Free from deception or mistaken ideas; set straightIf you think I can get Mr. Owens to hire you because he is my cousin, let me undeceive you. I have no influence with him.UngagRemove a gag from; release from censorshipWith the dictators downfall, the censorship decrees were abolish

25、ed and the press was ungagged.UnnerveDeprive of nerve or courage; cause to lose self-control; upsetThe unsportsmanlike noises of the fans so unnerved our star player that he missed two foul shots in a row.6. UNDER-: beneath, lower, insufficient(ly)WORDMEANINGTYPICAL USEUnderbrushShrubs, bushes, etc.

26、, growing beneath large trees in a wood; undergrowthOn its way through the dense jungle, the patrol had to be constantly wary of enemy soldiers concealed in the underbrush.UnderdevelopedInsufficiently developed because of a lack of capital and trained personnel for exploiting natural resourcesOur co

27、untry has spent billions of dollars to help the underdeveloped nations improve their standard of living.Undergraduate(literally, lower than a graduate) a student in a college or university who has not yet earned his first degreeMost undergraduates take four years to earn a degree, but some achieve i

28、t sooner by attending summer sessions.UnderpaymentInsufficient paymentIf too little is deducted from Dads weekly wages for income tax, it results in an underpayment at the end of the year.UnderprivilegedInsufficiently privileged: deprived through social or economic oppression of some of the fundamen

29、tal rights supposed to belong to allThe underprivileged child from the crowded slum tenement has many more problems to overcome than the child from the middle-class home.UnderscoreDraw a line beneath; emphasizeWhen we take notes, our teacher wants us to underscore items that are especially important

30、.UndersellSell at a lower price thanWhen discount houses tried to undersell department stores, the latter reduced prices too, and adopted the slogan We will not be undersold.UndersignedPerson or persons who sign at the end of (literally, under) a letter or documentAmong the undersigned in the petiti

31、on to the governor were some of the most prominent persons in the state.UnderstatementA statement below the truth, a restrained statement in mocking contrast to what might be saidFranks remark that he was slightly bruised in the accident is an understatement; he suffered two fractured ribs.UnderstudyOne who studies under and learns the part of a regular performer so as to be his substitute if necessaryWhile the star is recuperating from her illness, her role will