Vocab Words Summer 2006
Terms
undefined, object
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- inscrutable
- incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
- insular
- relating to, characteristic of, or situation on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
- irrevocable
- incapable ot being changed or called back
- propensity
- a natural inclination or predilection toward
- querulous
- peevish, complaining, fretful
- remonstrate
- to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
- repudiate
- to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
- resilient
- able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
- reverberate
- to re-echo, resound
- scurrilous
- coarsely abusive, vular or low (esp in language), foul mouthed
- sedulous
- persistent, showing industry and determination
- sleazy
- thin or flimsy in texture, cheap or inferior in quality or character
- amnesty
- a general pardon for an offense against a government, any act of forgiveneness or absolution
- axiomatic
- self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
- blazon
- to adorn or emebllish, to display conspiculously, to publish, to prolaim widely
- caveat
- a warning or caution to prevent misunderstading or discourage behavior
- equitable
- fair, just, embodying principles of justice
- extricate
- to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
- filch
- to steal (esp in a sneaky way in petty amounts)
- flout
- to mock, treat with contempt
- fractious
- tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, unpredictable
- precept
- a rule of conduct or action
- salutary
- beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome
- scathing
- bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
- scourge
- to whip, punish severely; a cause of affliction or suffering
- sepulchral
- funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
- soporific
- tending to cause sleep, relating to sleapiness or lethargy; (n) something that induces sleep
- straitlaced
- extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
- transient
- lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n) one who stays only a short time
- unwieldy
- not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
- vapid
- dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness
- anomalous
- abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
- aspersion
- a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming
- bizarre
- extremely strange, unsual, atypical
- brusque
- abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
- cajole
- to coax, persuade through flattery or atifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
- castigate
- to punish severely; to criticize severely
- contrive
- to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
- demagogue
- a leader who exploits popular prejudices and flase claims and promises in order to gain power
- disabuse
- to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
- ennui
- weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
- fetter
- a chain or shackle placed on the feet; to chain or shackle, to render helpless or impotent
- heinous
- very wicked, offensive, hateful
- immutable
- not subject to change, constant
- insurgent
- one who rebels or rises against authority;(adj) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority
- megalomania
- a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent
- sinecure
- a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
- surreptitious
- stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation;
- transgress
- to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
- transmute
- to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
- vicarious
- performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
- austere
- severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury
- beneficent
- performing acts of kindness or charity; doing good
- cadaverous
- pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse
- concoct
- to prepare by combining ingredients; to devise, invent, fabricate
- crass
- coarse, unfeeling, stupid
- debase
- to lower in character, quality, or value, to degrade
- desecrate
- to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently, to contaminate, to pollute
- disconcert
- to confuse, to disturb the compusure of
- grandiose
- grand in an impressive or stately way, marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated
- inconsequential
- trifling, unimportant
- infraction
- a breaking or a low or obligation
- mitigate
- to make milder or softer; to moderate in force or intensity
- pillage
- to rob of goods by open force, plunder; (n) the act of looting, booty
- prate
- to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimles fashion
- punctilious
- very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety
- redoubtable
- inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent
- reprove
- to find fault with, scold, rebuke
- restitution
- the act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or to a former state or psotion; making good on a loss or damage
- stalwart
- strong and sturdy; brave (n) a brave, song person, a strong supporter
- vulnerable
- open to attack, unprotected
- acrimonious
- stinging, bitter in temper or tone
- bovine
- resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive
- consternation
- dismay, confusion
- corpulent
- fat, having a large, bulky body
- disavow
- to deny responsibility for or connection with
- dispassionate
- impartial, calm, free from emotion
- dissension
- disagreement, sharp differences of opinion
- dissipate
- to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel, to spend foolishly; to be extravagant in pursuit of pleasure
- expurgate
- to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify
- gauntlet
- a challenge, an ordeal
- hypothetical
- based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation
- ignoble
- mean, low, base
- impugn
- to attack as false, to call into question
- intemperate
- immoderate, lackign in self-control, inclement
- odium
- hatred, contempt, disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct
- perfidy
- faithlessness, treachery
- relegate
- to place in a lower position, to assign, refer, turn over; to banish
- squeamish
- inclined to nausea, easily shocked or upset
- subservient
- subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obedient
- susceptible
- open to; easily influenced; lacking in resistance
- abate
- to make less in amount, degree, etc., to subside, become less, to nullify; to deduct, to omit
- adulation
- praise or flattery that is excessive
- anathema
- an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denuciation
- astute
- shrewd, craft, showing practical wisdom
- avarice
- a greedy desire, particularly for wealth
- culpable
- deserving blame, worthy of condemnation
- dilatory
- tending to delay or procastinate; not prompt; intended to delay or postpone
- egregious
- conspicious, standing out from the mass (unfavorably)
- equivocate
- to speak or act in way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous
- evanescent
- vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor
- irresolute
- unable to make up one's mind, hesitating
- nebulous
- cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague,confused, indistinct
- novice
- one who is just a beginner at some activity requring skil and experience
- penury
- extreme poverty, barrenness, insufficiency
- pretentious
- done for show, striving to make a big impression; ambitious
- recapitulate
- to review a series of facts; to sum up
- resuscitate
- to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence
- slovenly
- untidy, dirty, careless
- supposition
- something that is assumed or taken for granted withotu conclusive evidence
- torpid
- inactive, sluggish, dull
- accrue
- to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result
- annotation
- a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work
- bedlam
- a state or scene of uproar and confusion
- covert
- hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded (n) a sheltered place, a hiding place
- debonair
- pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished n manner and appearance
- dun
- to demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt, (n) a creditor, (adj) dull, dark, dingy
- efficacious
- effective, producing results
- equanimity
- calmness, compuse, refusal to panic
- fortuitous
- accidental, occurring by a happy chance
- gist
- the essential part, main point, or essence
- gratuitous
- freely given, not called for by circumstances
- imperious
- overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling
- invective
- a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj) abusive
- motley
- showing great variety, composed of different elements or many colors; (n) a jester's costume, a jester
- munificent
- extremely generous
- procastinate
- to delay, put off until later
- recondite
- exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding
- reprobate
- a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel, (adj) wicked corrupt, or unprincipled; (v) to disapprove of, condemn
- sedentary
- characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place
- absolve
- to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
- caricature
- a representation in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated
- clangor
- a loud, ringing sound; to make a loud ringing noise
- contiguous
- side by side; touching, near
- cupidity
- an eager desire for something, greed
- deleterious
- harmful, injurious
- enhance
- to raise to a higer degree; to increase the vaule or desirability of
- enthrall
- to captivate, charm, hold spellbound, to enslae, to improve
- extenuate
- to lessen the seriousness or magnitude or an offense by making partial excuses
- implicit
- implied or understood though unexpressed
- incisive
- sharp, keen, penetrating
- ostentatious
- marked by pretentious display, showy
- paragon
- a model of excellence or perfection
- paraphrase
- to restate in other words, (n) a statement that presents a given idea in new language
- politic
- prudent, artful, expedient
- prosaic
- dull, lacking in distinction and originality
- redundant
- extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetivie, profuse, lush
- sanctimonious
- making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious
- scintillating
- sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant
- winsome
- charming, attractive, pleasing
- abet
- to encourage, to assist, to aid, to support
- aver
- to affirm, declare confidently
- blatant
- noisy in corase, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous
- broach
- to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject), to announce, to introduce; (n) a tool for tapping casks
- buttress
- to support, prop up, strengthen; (n) a supporting structure
- carousal
- a noisy revelery or merrymaking (alcohol)
- collate
- to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities; to arrange in order for some specific purpose
- connoisseur
- an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgements, especially in one of the fine arts
- disconsolate
- deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope, beyond consolation
- encumber
- to weigh down or burden; to fill up, block up, hinder
- foment
- to promote trouble or rebellion, to apply warm liquids
- grisly
- frightful, horrible, ghastly
- herculean
- characterized by great strength; hard to due because it resuires unusual strength
- impassive
- showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate, motionless
- inauspicious
- unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting back luck for the futre
- incontrovertible
- unquestionable, beyond dispute
- nonplussed
- puzzled, not knowing what to do
- opportune
- suitable for a particular purpose, occurring at an appropriate time
- prolific
- abundantly productive; abundant, profuse
- rejoinder
- a reply to a reply, esp from the defendant in a legal suit
- amenable
- willing to follow adice or authority
- berate
- to scold sharply
- carnage
- a large-scale slaughter or loss of life
- credulous
- too ready to believe, easily deceived
- criterion
- a rule, test, a standard for judgement
- deplete
- to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly
- expatiate
- to expand on, write or talk at length or in detial; to move about freely
- extraneous
- coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant
- inception
- the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process
- infirmity
- a weakness or ailment
- jejune
- lacking in nutritive value, immature, juvenile
- obdurate
- stubborn, unyielding
- potpourri
- a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items;a general mixture
- precocious
- showing unusually early development
- sadistic
- delighting in cruelty; excessively cruel
- sententious
- self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; saying much in few words, pithy
- supplicate
- to beg earnestly and humbly
- surfeit
- an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking; to feet or supply with anythign to excess
- tortuous
- winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved, complex
- turgid
- swollen, boated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language
- adamant
- firm in purpose or opinion; (n) an extremely hard substance
- brouhaha
- a confused hodgepodge of sounds
- bulwark
- a strong defense or protection; (v) to provide such defense or protection
- choleric
- easily made angry, bad-tempered
- cloy
- to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence
- curtail
- to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected, to reduce
- deference
- courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect makred by submission, as to a superior
- definitive
- conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done
- demeanor
- the way a person behaves, overally impression made by manner
- enigmatic
- puzzling, perplexing
- impromptu
- w/o preparation
- mawkish
- excessively and objectionably sentimental
- mollify
- to soften, make gentle, pacify, to calm, assuage, appease, to reduce in intensity
- onus
- something that is heavy or burdensome; blame
- presentiment
- a vague sense of approaching misfortune
- profligate
- given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; (n) a person given to self-induglent and wild spending
- remit
- to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen
- requisite
- needed, necessary, regarded as essential
- sartorial
- of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes and dress
- thwart
- to prevent, to oppose successfully, frustrate
- abjure
- to recant solemnly; renounce or repudiate; to renounce under oath, forswear
- abrogate
- to abolish, to away with, or annual,esp by authority
- abstemious
- eating and drinking in moderation; characterized by abstinence or moderation
- acument
- quickness and keenness of judgement or insight
- antebeullum
- belonging to the period before a war, esp the civil war
- auspicious
- marked by success, prosperous; attended by favorable cirumstances
- belie
- to give a false representation to, misrepresent; to show to be false, contradict
- bellicose
- warlike or hostile in manner or temperament
- bowdlerize
- to remove material that is considered onjectionable or offensive from; to expurgate
- chicanery
- deception by trickery or sophistry
- churlish
- having a bad disposition, surly
- circumlocution
- the use of unnecesarily wordy and indirect language
- circumnavigate
- to proceed completely around
- deciduous
- shedding or losing foliage at end of the growing season; not lasting
- diffident
- lacking or marked by a lack of self confidence, shy and timid
- enervate
- to weaken or destroy the strenth or vitality of
- enfranchise
- to endow the rights of citizenship, esp right to vote; to free, as from slavery or bondage
- epiphany
- a christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi; a sudden manifestation of the essence or meanign of something; a revelation
- equinox
- either of the 2 times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and when the lenth of day and ngiht are equal
- facetious
- playfully jocular, humorous
- fatuous
- foolish or silly, esp in a smug or self satisfied way
- feckless
- lacking in purpose or vitatlity; carless and irrespsonsibly
- fiduciary
- of or relatining to a holding of something in trust for antoher, held in trust
- filibuster
- the use of obstructionist tractics, esp prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaing legislative action
- gauche
- lakcing grace or social polish; awkward or tactless
- hegemony
- the predominant influence of a state, region, or group over others
- homogeneous
- uniform in structure or composition; of the same or similar nature or kind
- hubris
- overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance
- impeach
- to make an accusation against; to charge with improper conduct in fofice before a proper tribunal
- incognito
- with one's identity disguised or concealed
- inculcate
- to impress upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repition; to teach by repittion
- infrastructure
- the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society; the basic system or underlying structure of an organization
- interpolate
- to insert or introduce between other elements or parts
- kowtow
- to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in expression of deep respect, worship, or submission as foremely done in China
- lexicon
- a dictionary; a vocabulary; a stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or style
- loquacious
- very talkative, garrulous
- lugubrious
- mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree
- metamorphosis
- a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function
- moiety
- a half, a part, portion, or share; either of two kinship groups based on unilateral descent that togetehr make up a tribe or society