Vocab..docx

abate, verb to reduce in amount, degree or severity abdicate, verb to renounce or relinquish a throne aberrant, adjective abnormal or deviant abeyance, noun suspended action abject, adjective utterly hopeless; humiliating or wretched ablution, noun act of cleansing abscond, verb depart secretly and hide abstemious, adjective sparing in eating and drinking; temperate acquiesce, verb to comply, give in

ambivalence, noun the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes ameliorate, verb to make better; to improve amity , noun friendship; peaceful harmony anachronism, noun something or someone misplaced in time; an obsolete or archaic form anarchy, noun absence of governing body; state of disorder androgynous, adjective being both male and female anomalous, adjective abnormal; irregular antipathy, noun aversion; dislike

acrid, adjective sharp or biting to the taste or smell

apartheid, noun any system or caste that separates people according to race

acrimonious, adjective caustic, stinging or bitter in nature

apathy, adjective lack of interest or emotion; uncaring; indifference

adjoin, verb to be close or in contact with

appease, verb pacify or soothe; relieve

admonish, verb to counsel against something; caution; warn; reprove

approbation, noun approval; praise, consideration

adulterate, verb to make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances

appropriate, adjective acquire; take possession of for one’s own use

aesthetic, adjective artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful

arduous, adjective hard; strenuous

affable, adjective friendly, courteous aggrandize, verb to increase in power, influence and reputation aggregate, verb gather; accumulate alacrity, adjective cheerful promptness; eagerness alleviate, verb relieve altruist, noun a person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others

amalgamate, verb combine; unite in one body amatory, adjective of or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking ambiguous, adjective unclear or doubtful in meaning

artless, adjective without guile; open and honest ascetic, adjective practicing self-denial; austere assiduous, adjective diligent, persistent, hardworking assuage, verb to make less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) atrophy, verb to waste away; wither or deteriorate; the wasting away of body tissue audacious, adjective daring; bold austere, adjective forbiddingly stern in appearance; severely simple and unornamented autonomous, adjective self-governing; independent banal, adjective boring; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clichéd; hackneyed

belligerent, adjective warlike, given to waging war bemoan, verb to express pity for benevolent, adjective desiring to do good to others benign, adjective having a kindly disposition bilateral, adjective pertaining to or affecting two or both sides bolster, verb support; reinforce bombastic, adjective pompous in speech and manner ; using inflated language boorish, adjective rude; insensitive burnish, verb make shiny by rubbing; polish buttress, verb support; prop up capitulate, verb to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms

compliant, adjective yielding; conforming to requirements compunction, noun a feeling of uneasiness for doing wrong concentric, adjective having a common center conciliate, verb to placate, win over conciliatory, adjective reconciling; soothing condone, verb overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse conflagration, noun a large destructive fire confluence, noun merging into one confound, verb confuse; puzzle congenital, adjective existing or as such from birth connoisseur, noun person competent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art contention, noun claim; thesis

capricious, adjective unpredictable; fickle; changing one’s mind quickly and often

contentious, adjective quarrelsome

castigate, verb to punish or criticize harshly

contravene, verb to come into conflict with

catalyst, noun agent that increases the rate of a chemical action; person or thing that causes action

contrite, adjective feeling regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent

caustic, adjective burning; sarcastically biting

conundrum, noun riddle; difficult problem

chicanery, noun trickery; deception by means of craft or guile circuitous, adjective roundabout, indirect circumscribe, verb to draw a line around circumspect, adjective watchful and discreet coagulate, verb thicken; congeal; clot cogent, adjective convincing and well-reasoned commensurate, adjective corresponding in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate

convalescent, adjective recovering from illness converge, verb approach; tend to meet; come together convoke, verb to call together convoluted, adjective intricate and complicated corroborate, verb to provide supporting evidence craven, adjective cowardly credulous, verb too trusting; gullible cursory, adjective going rapidly over something; hasty; superficial

complacent, adjective self-satisfied, unconcerned

daunt, verb intimidate; frighten

decadent, adjective decaying; deteriorating decorum, adjective propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners default, verb failure to act deference, noun respect; courteous regard for another’s wishes deferential, adjective respectful; to yield judgment to deign, verb to think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity delude, verb to mislead the mind of judgment of, deceive denigrate, verb blacken deride, verb ridicule; make fun of

discordant, adjective not harmonious; conflicting discredit, verb defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve discrepancy, noun lack of consistency; difference discrete, adjective separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct parts disingenuous, adjective lacking genuine candor; insincere disinterested, adjective unprejudiced disjointed, adjective lacking coherence; separated at the joints dismiss, verb eliminate from consideration; reject disparage, verb belittle

derision, noun contemptuous or jeering laughter; ridicule.

disparate, adjective fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar

derivative, noun unoriginal; obtained from another source

disquiet, noun a lack of calm or peace

desiccate, verb to dry out thoroughly

dissemble, verb disguise; pretend; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

desultory, adjective aimless; haphazard; digressing at random

disseminate, verb distribute; spread widely; scatter (like seeds)

deterrent, adjective something that discourages; hindrance

dissolution, noun disintegration; looseness in morals

dichotomy, noun split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)

dissonance, noun discord; opposite of harmony

diffident, adjective lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid. diffuse, verb to spread widely or thinly digression, noun wandering away from the subject dilatory, adjective inclined to delay or procrastinate dilettante, noun someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic dirge, noun lament with music disabuse, verb correct a false impression; to set right; to free from error

discerning, adjective mentally quick and observant; having insight

distend, verb to expand by stretching; swell out distill, verb purify; refine; concentrate diverge, verb vary; go in different directions from the same point doctrine, noun a principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief; dogma document, verb provide written evidence dogma, noun a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief dogmatic, adjective opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal doleful, adjective sorrowful, mournful dormant, adjective sleeping; lethargic; latent

dour, adjective sullen, gloomy dupe, verb to deceive; a person who is easily deceived duplicity, noun deceitfulness in speech or conduct; double-dealing ebullient, adjective showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm eclectic, adjective selective; composed of elements from a variety of sources

euphemism, noun an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive exacerbate, verb worsen; to increase bitterness or violence execrable, adjective abominable exigency, noun urgent situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention exigent, adjective urgent; requiring immediate action

efficacy, noun effectiveness ; power to produce desired effect

expound, verb to set forth in detail

effigy, noun a dummy; a likeness or image, especially of a person.

exult, verb to show or feel triumphant joy

effrontery, noun impudence; shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness

facetious, adjective joking (often inappropriately); humorous

elicit, verb draw out by discussion elocution, noun art of clear and expressive speaking embellish, verb adorn; ornament; enhance, as a story

facilitate, verb help bring about; make less difficult fallacious, adjective false; misleading fatuous, adjective brainless; inane; foolish, yet smug

empathy, noun the identification with the feelings or thoughts of others

fawning, adjective trying to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing

empirical, adjective based on experience

fervor, noun glowing ardor; intensity of feeling

emulate, verb imitate; rival

flag, verb droop; grow feeble; to decline in vigor or strength

endemic, adjective prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country

fledgling, adjective inexperienced

engender, verb to produce, cause or bring about enhance, verb increase; improve enigma, noun a puzzle; a mystery ephemeral, adjective short-lived; fleeting equanimity, noun calmness of temperament; composure equivocate, verb lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth erudite, adjective learned, scholarly, bookish

flout, verb reject; mock; show contempt for foment, verb to arouse or incite forestall, verb prevent by taking action in advance fractious, adjective irritable, peevish frugality, noun thrifty; economy fusillade, noun continuous discharge of firearms or outburst of criticism futile, adjective useless; hopeless; ineffectual garrulous, adjective loquacious; talkative; wordy

eulogy, noun expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death

goad, verb urge on

grandiloquent, adjective pompous or inflated in language; bombastic; using highsounding language

incorporate, verb introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite

gregarious, adjective sociable

incursion, noun a hostile entrance into a place

guile, noun deceit or trickery

indeterminate, adjective uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite

guileless, adjective without deceit

indigence, noun poverty

gullible, adjective easily deceived

indigent, adjective experiencing want or need; impoverished.

harangue, noun long, passionate, and vehement speech

indolence, noun state of being lazy or slothful

homogeneous, adjective of the same kind

induce, verb to move or lead by influence

hyperbole, noun exaggeration; overstatement

inert, adjective inactive; lacking power to move

hypocritical, adjective affecting virtues or qualities one does not have

infusion, noun liquid extract so obtained

idolatry, noun worship of idols; excessive admiration

inherent, adjective firmly established by nature or habit

immutable, adjective unchangeable

inimical, adjective hostile, unfriendly

impair, verb injure; hurt

innocuous, adjective harmless

impassive, adjective without feeling; imperturbable; showing or feeling no emotion

insensible, adjective unconscious; unresponsive

impede, verb hinder; block impermeable, adjective impervious; not permitting passage through its substance imperturbable, adjective calm; placid impervious, adjective impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed impetuous, adjective quick to act without thinking

insidious, adjective intended to trap or beguile insinuate, verb hint; imply; creep in insipid, adjective lacking in interest or flavor; dull insolent, adjective boldly rude or disrespectful insularity, noun narrow-mindedness; isolation interloper, noun someone who intrudes in the domain of others

implacable, adjective incapable of being pacified implicit, adjective understood but not stated implode, verb burst inward

intractable, adjective unruly; stubborn; unyielding intransigence, noun refusal of any compromise; stubbornness intransigent, adjective refusing to agree or compromise

inadvertently, adjective unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly incongruity, noun lack of harmony; absurdity inconsequential, adjective insignificant; unimportant

inundate, verb overwhelm; flood; submerge irascible, adjective irritable; easily angered irresolute, adjective

uncertain how to act; weak

lying; habitually dishonest

itinerary, noun plan of a trip

metamorphosis, noun change of form

laconic, adjective brief and to the point; using few words

meticulous, adjective excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous

lassitude, noun languor; weariness

mitigate, verb to soften, to lessen

latent, adjective potential but undeveloped; dormant; hidden

mollify, verb to calm or make less severe; soothe

laud, verb praise

morose, adjective ill-humored; sullen; melancholy

lethargic, adjective drowsy; dull

mundane, adjective worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday

levee, noun earth or stone embankment to prevent flooding

nascent, adjective starting to develop

levity, noun lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity

negate, verb cancel out; nullify; deny

litigate, verb to make the subject of a lawsuit

obdurate, adjective stubborn, hardened in feelings; resistant to persuasion

log, noun record of a voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities

oblique, adjective having a slanting or sloping direction

loquacious, adjective talkative

obsequious, adjective overly submissive and eager to please; servile; sycophantic

lucid, adjective easily understood; clear; intelligible

obsolescent, adjective becoming obsolete

luminous, adjective shining; issuing light

obstreperous, adjective noisily defiant, unruly

magnanimity, noun generosity

obtuse, adjective not sharp, pointed or acute

magnanimous, adjective generous in forgiving an insult or injury

obviate, verb to prevent; make unnecessary; get rid of

magnate, noun a powerful or influential person

officious, adjective meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one’s services

maladroit, adjective clumsy, tactless

omnivorous, adjective eating or absorbing everything

malevolent, adjective characterized by or expressing bad will

onerous, adjective troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

malign, verb to speak harmful untruths about, to slander

opprobrium, noun public disgrace; infamy; vilification

malingerer, noun one who feigns illness to escape duty

oscillate, verb vibrate; waver

malleable, adjective capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable

ostentatious, adjective showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention

maverick, noun rebel; nonconformist

panoply , noun a wide-ranging and impressive array or display

maxim, noun an expression of general truth or principle

paragon, noun model of excellence or perfection

mendacious, adjective

partisan, adjective

one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party pathological, adjective pertaining to disease paucity, noun smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness pedantic, adjective showing off learning; bookish penchant, adjective strong inclination; liking penury, noun severe poverty; stinginess

pragmatic, adjective practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something preamble, noun introductory statement precarious, adjective uncertain; risky precipitate , adjective adj. rash, premature, hasty, sudden preclude, verb to prevent the presence of

perennial, adjective something long-lasting

precocious, adjective unusually advanced or mature in mental development or talent

perfidious, adjective treacherous; disloyal; willing to betray one’s trust

precursor, noun forerunner

perfunctory, adjective superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; done in a routine way;

predilection, noun preference, liking

peripatetic, adjective walking or traveling about; itinerant permeable, adjective penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through pervasive, adjective spread throughout

presentiment, adjective a feeling of anticipation over a future event presumptuous, adjective arrogant; taking liberties prevaricate, verb to lie or deviate from the truth pristine, adjective characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled

petulant, adjective showing sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance

probity, noun honesty; uprightness; incorruptibility

philanderer, noun one who carries on flirtations

problematic, adjective doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing

philanthropy, noun charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness

prodigal, adjective lavish; wasteful; reckless with money

philology, noun the study of literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning

profound, adjective deep; not superficial; complete

phlegmatic, adjective calm; not easily disturbed

prohibitive, adjective tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid

piety, noun devoutness; reverence for God

proliferate, verb grow rapidly; spread; multiply

placate, verb pacify; conciliate

propensity, noun natural inclination

plasticity, noun ability to be molded

propound, verb to set forth for consideration

platitude, noun trite remark; commonplace statement

propriety, noun correct behavior or conduct, obedience to rules and customs

plethora, noun excess; overabundance plummet, verb fall sharply porous, adjective full of pores; like a sieve

proscribe, verb to condemn as harmful or odious; ostracize; banish; outlaw protract, verb to prolong, draw out, extend provident, adjective

having or showing foresight prudence, noun wisdom, caution or restraint puerile, adjective childish, immature pugnacious, verb to quarrel or fight readily punctilious, adjective strict or exact in the observance of formalities pungent, adjective stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic pusillanimous, adjective lacking courage or resolution qualified, adjective limited; restricted querulous, adjective full of complaints quibble, noun minor objection or complaint quiescence, noun n. the condition of being at rest, still, inactive quiescent, adjective adj. at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive; motionless rarefied, adjective made less dense (of a gas)

person hardened in sin; wicked person; devoid of a sense of decency repudiate, verb disown; disavow; to reject the validity of resolution, noun determination resolve, verb to make a firm decision about reticent, adjective silent; reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence reverent, adjective respectful; worshipful sage, noun person celebrated for wisdom salient, adjective prominent or conspicuous salubrious, adjective conducive or favorable to health or well-being sanction, noun approve; ratify satiate, verb satisfy fully saturate, verb soak thoroughly savor, verb enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality

recalcitrant, adjective obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly

secrete, verb hide away or cache; produce and release a substance

recant, verb disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error

sedition, noun incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government

recluse, noun hermit; loner

skeptic, adjective doubter; person who suspends judgment until having examined evidence supporting a point of view

recumbent, adjective lying down; reclining; leaning refute, verb disprove rejoinder, verb to reply, retort relegate, verb banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign remonstrate, verb to say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof reprehensible, adjective deserving rebuke or censure; blameworthy. reprisals, noun retaliation against an enemy

sociopath, noun a person whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility solicitous, adjective worried; concerned soporific, adjective sleep-causing; lethargy; marked by sleepiness specious, adjective having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious) spectrum, noun colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism sporadic, adjective occurring irregularly

reproach, verb express disapproval or disappointment

stigma, noun a mark of shame or discredit

reprobate, noun

stint , verb

to restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with

violation of a law; sin truculence, noun aggressiveness; ferocity

stipulate, verb to lay down as a condition of an agreement; require by contract

vacillate, verb waver; fluctuate

stolid, adjective dull; impassive; unemotional; lacking sensitivity

venerate, verb revere

strut, verb walk pompously wal

veracity, noun filled with trust and accuracy

subjugate, verb to conquer subpoena, noun a writ requiring appearance in court to give testimony subside, verb settle down; descend; grow quiet

verbose, adjective wordy verity, noun truthfulness viable, adjective practical or workable

substantiate, verb establish by evidence; verify; support

vicarious, adjective performed, exercised, received or suffered in place of another

subterfuge, noun an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule

vilify, verb to slander, to defame

supercilious, adjective arrogant, haughty, condescending

viscous, adjective sticky, gluey

supersede, verb cause to be set aside; replace; make obsolete

vituperative, adjective abusive; scolding

supplicate, verb to make humble and earnest entreaty

vociferous, adjective crying out noisily

supposition, noun hypothesis; surmise

volatile, adjective changeable; explosive; evaporation rapidly

tacit, adjective understood; not put into words

volition, noun free choice, free will; act of choosing

taciturn, adjective silent, not talkative

voracious, adjective having a great appetite

tangential, adjective peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing

warranted, adjective justified; authorized

tenable, adjective capable of being held, maintained or defended

wary, adjective very cautious

tenacious, adjective holding fast; holding or tending to hold persistently to something

whimsical, adjective capricious; fanciful

tirade, noun extended scolding; denunciation; harangue torpor, noun lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy tortuous, adjective winding; full of curves tractable, adjective docile; easily managed or controlled

transcendent, adjective going beyond ordinary limits transgression, noun

zealot, noun fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal