Obama's State of the Union Address, 2014

President Obama delivered the annual State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening. Always a wide ranging speech, this year the President touched on everything from the minimum wage to the war in Afghanistan. Here are some vocabulary words from the speech and a link to the transcript. The advantage to reading the speech as opposed to watching it is that on paper there are no interruptions for applause/booing!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. entrepreneur
    someone who organizes a business venture
    An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part to add to the more than eight million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.
  2. efficient
    being effective without wasting time, effort, or expense
    An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
  3. wean
    gradually deprive of mother's milk
    An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
  4. rural
    living in or characteristic of farming or country life
    A rural doctor gave a young child the first prescription to treat asthma that his mother could afford.
  5. rebound
    spring back; spring away from an impact
    A rebounding housing market.
  6. sector
    a particular aspect of life or activity
    A manufacturing sector that’s adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s.
  7. deficit
    an amount that is less than expected or required
    Our deficits – cut by more than half.
  8. hinder
    be an obstacle to
    The question for everyone in this chamber, running through every decision we make this year, is whether we are going to help or hinder this progress.
  9. rancorous
    showing deep-seated resentment
    For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government.
  10. federal
    of a government with central and regional authorities
    For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government.
  11. compromise
    an accommodation in which both sides make concessions
    But the budget compromise should leave us freer to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises.
  12. aspiration
    a cherished desire
    That’s what most Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.
  13. profound
    of the greatest intensity; complete
    And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all – the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.
  14. profit
    earn money or gain materially
    Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better.
  15. budge
    move very slightly
    But average wages have barely budged.
  16. mobility
    the quality of moving freely
    Upward mobility has stalled.
  17. concrete
    capable of being perceived by the senses
    But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class.
  18. eager
    having or showing keen interest or intense desire
    Some require Congressional action, and I’m eager to work with all of you.
  19. obesity
    the condition of being excessively overweight
    Michelle’s Let’s Move partnership with schools, businesses, and local leaders has helped bring down childhood obesity rates for the first time in thirty years – an achievement that will improve lives and reduce health care costs for decades to come.
  20. alliance
    the state of being joined in an association or coalition
    The Joining Forces alliance that Michelle and Jill Biden launched has already encouraged employers to hire or train nearly 400,000 veterans and military spouses.
  21. summit
    a meeting of heads of governments
    Taking a page from that playbook, the White House just organized a College Opportunity Summit where already, 150 universities, businesses, and nonprofits have made concrete commitments to reduce inequality in access to higher education – and help every hardworking kid go to college and succeed when they get to campus.
  22. legislature
    an assembly that makes, amends, or repeals laws
    Across the country, we’re partnering with mayors, governors, and state legislatures on issues from homelessness to marriage equality.
  23. stale
    lacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new
    The point is, there are millions of Americans outside Washington who are tired of stale political arguments, and are moving this country forward.
  24. ethic
    the principles of right and wrong for an individual or group
    They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our success should depend not on accident of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams.
  25. scope
    the state of the environment in which a situation exists
    They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our success should depend not on accident of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams.
  26. incentive
    a positive motivational influence
    Let’s work together to close those loopholes, end those incentives to ship jobs overseas, and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs here at home.
  27. transition
    the act of passing from one state or place to the next
    Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure.
  28. commute
    a regular journey to and from your place of work
    Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure.
  29. gravitate
    move toward
    Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure.
  30. infrastructure
    the basic features of a system or organization
    Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes – because in today’s global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure.
  31. bureaucracy
    unnecessary procedures that obstruct action
    But I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible.
  32. streamline
    contour economically or efficiently
    But I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible.
  33. bipartisan
    supported by both sides
    Bipartisan bills in both houses could double the number of these hubs and the jobs they create.
  34. patent
    a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention
    And let’s pass a patent reform bill that allows our businesses to stay focused on innovation, not costly, needless litigation.
  35. litigation
    a legal proceeding in a court
    And let’s pass a patent reform bill that allows our businesses to stay focused on innovation, not costly, needless litigation.
  36. sustain
    lengthen or extend in duration or space
    My administration will keep working with the industry to sustain production and job growth while strengthening protection of our air, our water, and our communities.
  37. pristine
    immaculately clean and unused
    And while we’re at it, I’ll use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.
  38. efficiency
    skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort
    When we rescued our automakers, for example, we worked with them to set higher fuel efficiency standards for our cars.
  39. urgency
    an earnest and insistent necessity
    But we have to act with more urgency – because a changing climate is already harming western communities struggling with drought, and coastal cities dealing with floods.
  40. stable
    firm and dependable; subject to little fluctuation
    And when our children’s children look us in the eye and ask if we did all we could to leave them a safer, more stable world, with new sources of energy, I want us to be able to say yes, we did.
  41. apprenticeship
    the position of one working for an expert to learn a trade
    That means more on-the-job training, and more apprenticeships that set a young worker on an upward trajectory for life.
  42. trajectory
    the path followed by an object moving through space
    That means more on-the-job training, and more apprenticeships that set a young worker on an upward trajectory for life.
  43. steadily
    at a continuous rate or pace
    She’d been steadily employed since she was a teenager.
  44. dependent
    a person who relies on another person for support
    “I am not dependent on the government…Our country depends on people like us who build careers, contribute to society…care about our neighbors…I am confident that in time I will find a job…I will pay my taxes, and we will raise our children in their own home in the community we love. Please give us this chance.”
  45. expectation
    belief about the future
    Race to the Top, with the help of governors from both parties, has helped states raise expectations and performance.
  46. stride
    significant progress
    Teachers and principals in schools from Tennessee to Washington, D.C. are making big strides in preparing students with skills for the new economy – problem solving, critical thinking, science, technology, engineering, and math.
  47. curriculum
    an integrated course of academic studies
    It requires everything from more challenging curriculums and more demanding parents to better support for teachers and new ways to measure how well our kids think, not how well they can fill in a bubble on a test.
  48. coalition
    the union of diverse things into one body or form or group
    And as Congress decides what it’s going to do, I’m going to pull together a coalition of elected officials, business leaders, and philanthropists willing to help more kids access the high-quality pre-K they need.
  49. philanthropist
    someone who makes charitable donations
    And as Congress decides what it’s going to do, I’m going to pull together a coalition of elected officials, business leaders, and philanthropists willing to help more kids access the high-quality pre-K they need.
  50. initiative
    the first of a series of actions
    And I’m reaching out to some of America’s leading foundations and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential.
  51. sacrifice
    a loss entailed by giving up something
    She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job.
  52. hardship
    something difficult to endure
    A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship – and you know what, a father does, too.
  53. stifled
    held in check or kept back with difficulty
    Now, women hold a majority of lower-wage jobs – but they’re not the only ones stifled by stagnant wages.
  54. stagnant
    not growing or changing; without force or vitality
    Now, women hold a majority of lower-wage jobs – but they’re not the only ones stifled by stagnant wages.
  55. resent
    feel bitter or indignant about
    Americans understand that some people will earn more than others, and we don’t resent those who, by virtue of their efforts, achieve incredible success.
  56. morale
    a state of individual psychological well-being
    Only now he makes more of it: John just gave his employees a raise, to ten bucks an hour – a decision that eased their financial stress and boosted their morale.
  57. pension
    regular payment to allow a person to subsist without working
    Today, most workers don’t have a pension.
  58. nest egg
    a fund of money put by as a reserve
    It’s a new savings bond that encourages folks to build a nest egg.
  59. repeal
    cancel officially
    But let’s not have another forty-something votes to repeal a law that’s already helping millions of Americans like Amanda.
  60. commission
    a special group delegated to consider some matter
    But conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are working together to strengthen it; and the bipartisan commission I appointed last year has offered reforms so that no one has to wait more than a half hour to vote.
  61. obligation
    the state of being bound to do or pay something
    Citizenship demands a sense of common cause; participation in the hard work of self-government; an obligation to serve to our communities.
  62. diplomat
    an official engaged in international negotiations
    And I know this chamber agrees that few Americans give more to their country than our diplomats and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
  63. remnant
    a small part remaining after the main part no longer exists
    If the Afghan government signs a security agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al Qaeda.
  64. affiliate
    a subsidiary organization linked with another organization
    While we have put al Qaeda’s core leadership on a path to defeat, the threat has evolved, as al Qaeda affiliates and other extremists take root in different parts of the world.
  65. extremist
    a person who holds radical views
    While we have put al Qaeda’s core leadership on a path to defeat, the threat has evolved, as al Qaeda affiliates and other extremists take root in different parts of the world.
  66. disrupt
    make a break in
    In Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and Mali, we have to keep working with partners to disrupt and disable these networks.
  67. capability
    the quality of being able to do something
    And as we reform our defense budget, we have to keep faith with our men and women in uniform, and invest in the capabilities they need to succeed in future missions.
  68. vigilant
    carefully observant or attentive
    We have to remain vigilant.
  69. mired
    entangled or hindered
    But I will not send our troops into harm’s way unless it’s truly necessary; nor will I allow our sons and daughters to be mired in open-ended conflicts.
  70. deployment
    the distribution of forces in preparation for battle or work
    We must fight the battles that need to be fought, not those that terrorists prefer from us – large-scale deployments that drain our strength and may ultimately feed extremism.
  71. ultimately
    as the end result of a succession or process
    We must fight the battles that need to be fought, not those that terrorists prefer from us – large-scale deployments that drain our strength and may ultimately feed extremism.
  72. capacity
    capability to perform or produce
    So, even as we aggressively pursue terrorist networks – through more targeted efforts and by building the capacity of our foreign partners – America must move off a permanent war footing.
  73. prudent
    marked by sound judgment
    That’s why I’ve imposed prudent limits on the use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence.
  74. drone
    an aircraft without a pilot and operated by remote control
    That’s why I’ve imposed prudent limits on the use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence.
  75. consequence
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
    That’s why I’ve imposed prudent limits on the use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence.
  76. surveillance
    close observation of a person or group
    That’s why, working with this Congress, I will reform our surveillance programs – because the vital work of our intelligence community depends on public confidence, here and abroad, that the privacy of ordinary people is not being violated.
  77. restriction
    an act of limiting
    And with the Afghan war ending, this needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay – because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and military action, but by remaining true to our Constitutional ideals, and setting an example for the rest of the world.
  78. principled
    based on or demonstrating morality or rightness
    You see, in a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depends on all elements of our power – including strong and principled diplomacy.
  79. rally
    gather or bring together
    American diplomacy has rallied more than fifty countries to prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands, and allowed us to reduce our own reliance on Cold War stockpiles.
  80. stockpile
    something kept back or saved for future use
    American diplomacy has rallied more than fifty countries to prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands, and allowed us to reduce our own reliance on Cold War stockpiles.
  81. enrich
    make better or improve in quality
    As we gather here tonight, Iran has begun to eliminate its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium.
  82. centrifuge
    an apparatus that separates particles from a suspension
    It is not installing advanced centrifuges.
  83. unprecedented
    novel; having no earlier occurrence
    Unprecedented inspections help the world verify, every day, that Iran is not building a bomb.
  84. verify
    confirm the truth of
    Unprecedented inspections help the world verify, every day, that Iran is not building a bomb.
  85. veto
    a vote that blocks a decision
    But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it.
  86. principle
    a basic generalization that is accepted as true
    In Ukraine, we stand for the principle that all people have the right to express themselves freely and peacefully, and have a say in their country’s future.
  87. prosperity
    the condition of having good fortune
    And we will continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific, where we support our allies, shape a future of greater security and prosperity, and extend a hand to those devastated by disaster – as we did in the Philippines, when our Marines and civilians rushed to aid those battered by a typhoon, and were greeted with words like, “We will never forget your kindness” and “God bless America!”
  88. shrapnel
    shell containing lead pellets that explodes in flight
    His comrades found him in a canal, face down, underwater, shrapnel in his brain.
  89. grueling
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    Over the years, he’s endured dozens of surgeries and procedures, and hours of grueling rehab every day.
  90. tyranny
    government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator
    But for more than two hundred years, we have put those things aside and placed our collective shoulder to the wheel of progress – to create and build and expand the possibilities of individual achievement; to free other nations from tyranny and fear; to promote justice, and fairness, and equality under the law, so that the words set to paper by our founders are made real for every citizen.
  91. plentiful
    existing in great number or quantity
    The America we want for our kids – a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us – none of it is easy.
  92. toil
    work hard
    The America we want for our kids – a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us – none of it is easy.
  93. summon
    ask to come
    But if we work together; if we summon what is best in us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow – I know it’s within our reach.
Created on Tue Jan 28 23:03:45 EST 2014 (updated Wed Jan 29 06:24:17 EST 2014)

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