Sadlier Oxford Level F Units 1-15
Terms
undefined, object
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- redoubtable
- inspiring fear or awe, illustrious, eminent
- incisive
- (adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
- Equivocate
- DEFINITION: to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous SYNONYMS: to talk out of both sides of one's mouth palter hedge ANTONYMS: to speak one's mind plainly
- ingratiate
- (v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)
- Culpable
- deserving blame, worthy of condemnation SYNONYMS: guilty delinquent peccant blameworthy ANTONYMS: blameless innocent laudable meritorious
- Provocative
- (adj.) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing a strong desire or appetite; irritating, annoying
- Unwieldy
- adj. not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
- castigate
- to punish severely
- Sepulchral
- adj. funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
- Accrue
- (v.) to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result
- collate
- (v.) to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities, etc.; to arrange in order for some scientific purpose
- Torpid
- DEFINITION: inactive sluggish dull SYNONYMS: sluggish lethargic otiose languid ANTONYMS: energetic dynamic vigorous
- anomalous
- abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
- gossamer
- thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; a very thin, light cloth
- odium
- n. hatred, contempt; disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct
- turgid
- swollen, bloated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language
- amporphous
- shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character.
- Unctuous
- Oily, fatty; smug
- obdurate
- stubborn, unyielding
- Provincial
- Loca
- precocious
- showing unusually early development (especially in talents and metal capacity)
- transmute
- to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
- enthrall
- (v.) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison
- Irresolute
- DEFINITION: unable to make up one's mind hesitating SYNONYMS: indecisive vacillating wavering ANTONYMS: determined decisive unwavering
- Transient
- adj. lasting only a short time, fleeting n. one who stays only a short time
- Recondite
- (adj.) exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding
- Umbrage
- resentment; foilage giving shade
- Adulation
- DEFINITION: praise or flattery that is excessive SYNONYMS: Adoration Idolization hero-worship ANTONYMS: ridicule derision scorn odium
- infraction
- a breaking or a law or obligation
- corpulent
- adj. fat; having a large, bulky body
- herculean
- (adj.) (capital H) relating to Hercules; (lowercare h) characterized by great strength; very hard to do in the sense of requiring unusal strength
- precipitate
- (v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process
- acculturation
- the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another
- grandiose
- grand in an impressive or stately way, marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated
- sedulous
- peristent, showing industry and determination
- hypothetical
- adj. based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation
- bulwark
- strong defense or protection
- Avarice
- DEFINITION: a greedy desire particularly for wealth SYNONYMS: Cupidity rapacity acquisitiveness
- Amnesty
- n. a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
- Bedlam
- (n.) a state or scene of uproar and confusion
- Debonair
- (adj.) pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished in manner and appearance
- jejune
- lacking in nutritive value; lacking in intrest or substance; immature, juvenile
- broach
- (v.) to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject); to announce, introduce; to break the surface of the water; to pierce; (n.) a spit for roasting; a tool for tapping casks
- propensity
- a natural inclination or bent toward
- Approbation
- the expression of approval or favorable opinion.
- surmise
- (v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof
- absolve
- (v.) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
- Decadence
- Decline or decay
- Vapid
- adj. dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness or force
- brouhaha
- a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubub
- choleric
- easily made angry, bad tempered
- Filch
- v. to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
- requisite
- needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable
- peculate
- to steal something that has been given to one's trust; take improperly for one's use
- inveigh
- (v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
- pernicious
- (adj.) extremely harmful; deadly, fatal.
- Hiatus
- a gap
- Astute
- DEFINITION: Shrewd crafty showing practical wisdom SYNONYMS: shrewd acute sagacious judicious wily ANTONYMS: obtuse doltish empty-headed dumb
- expedite
- to make easy, cause to progress faster
- Axiomatic
- adj. self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
- salient
- (adj.) leaping, jumping, or springing forth; prominent, standing out conspicuous; (n.) a projection or buldge, a land form that projects upward or outward.
- mollify
- to soften, make gentle, pacify, to calm
- restitution
- the act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or to a former state or position; making good on a loss or damage
- sententious
- self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; giving to use of maims or adages; saying much in few words, pithy
- ferment
- state of great excitment; to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
- archetype
- an original model after similar things are patterned; a perfect or typical example
- Invective
- (n.) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj.) abusive, vituperative
- Anathema
- DEFINITION: An object of intense dislike a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article) SYNONYMS: Malediction Imprecation Abomination ANTONYMS: Benediction blessing
- Intercede
- To plead on the behalf of someone else.
- dissipate
- v. to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel; to send foolishly, squander; to be extravagant in pursuit of pleasure
- inadvertent
- resulting from or marked by a lack of attention, unintentional, accidental
- immutable
- not subject to change, constant
- impugn
- v. to call into question; to attack as false
- expurgate
- v. to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify
- Annotation
- (n.) a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work
- disabuse
- to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
- deleterious
- (adj.) harmful, injurious
- Supposition
- DEFINITION: something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence SYNONYMS: assumption presumption hypothesis
- perfidy
- n. faithlessness, treachery
- Nebulous
- DEFINITION: cloudlike resembling a cloud cloudy in color not transparent vague confused indistinct SYNONYMS: hazy fuzzy cloudy vague murky opaque indeterminate ANTONYMS: definite distinct clear sharply focused
- infer
- to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought
- brusque
- abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
- inception
- the begining, start, ealriest stage of some process, institision, etc.
- foment
- (v.) to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm
- irrevocable
- incapable of beinga changedor called back
- deference
- courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person, respect to superior
- proclivity
- a natural or habitual inclination or tendency
- prolific
- (adj.) abundantly productive; abundant, profuse
- ameliorate
- (v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
- retrench
- tocut down, reduce in scope or cost
- Reprobate
- (n.) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel; (adj.) wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled; (v.) to disapprove of, condemn
- Egregious
- DEFINITION: Conspicuous, standing out from the mass SYNONYMS: Glaring Flagrant blatant ANTONYMS: Unnoticeable Paltry Piddling
- contiguous
- (adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
- expiate
- to make amends, make up for, avert
- vulnerable
- open to attack, capable of being wounded or damaged, unprotected
- Extricate
- v. to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
- gauntlet
- n. an armored or protective glove; a challenge; two lines of men armed with weapons with which to beat a person forced to run between them; an ordeal
- austere
- severe or stern in manner, withou adornment or luxury, simple, plain, harsh or sour in flavor
- disconcert
- to confuse; to disturb the composure of
- vitrolic
- bitter, sarcastic, highly caustic or biting
- bizarre
- extremely strange
- transcend
- to rise above
- demeanor
- the way a person behaves, conduct
- heinous
- very wicked
- noncommittal
- not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or say yes or no
- occult
- (adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural
- impassive
- (adj.) showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate; motionless
- punctillious
- very careful and exact, attentive to find points of etiquette or propriety
- fetter
- a chain or shackle placed on the feet
- rejoinder
- (n.) a reply to a reply, especially from the defendent in a legal suit
- florid
- (adj.) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, showy
- implicit
- (adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in
- expatiate
- to expand one, write or talk at length or in detail; to move about freely
- connoisseur
- (n.) an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts
- Scourge
- v. to whip, punish severely n. a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism
- scurrilous
- coarsely abusive, vulgar or low, foul mouthed
- remonstrate
- to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against,object to.
- inconsequential
- trifling, unimportant
- disseminate
- (v.) to scatter or spread widely.
- aggrandize
- to increase in greatness, power or wealth; to build up intensity.
- insular
- relating to,characteristic of, or situated onanisland; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
- bombastic
- (adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
- ascribe
- to assign or to refer to
- sanctimonious
- (adj.) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou
- Scathing
- adj. bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
- Slovenly
- DEFINITION: untidy dirty careless SYNONYMS: unkempt slatternly slipshod lax ANTONYMS: neat tidy careful meticulous
- Gist
- (n.) the essential part, main point, or essence
- Resuscitate
- DEFINITION: To revive bring back to consciousness or existence SYNONYMS: Revitalize reanimate restore
- onus
- something that is heavy or burdensome, stigma/blame
- Precept
- n. a rule of conduct or action
- nominal
- not real; to small to be considered or taken seriously
- Prerogative
- special right
- Soporific
- adj. tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy n. something that induces sleep
- tortuous
- winding, twisted, crooked, higly involved, complex, decious
- abet
- (v.) to encourage, assist, aid, support (especially in something wrong or unworthy)
- carnage
- large-scale slaughter or loss of life
- supplicate
- to bed earnestly and humbly
- cadaverous
- pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse
- potpourri
- a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items; a general mixture; petals mixed with spices for scent
- bovine
- adj. resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive
- clangor
- (n.) a loud ringing sound; (v.) to make a loud ringing noise
- Lurid
- Causing shock or horror
- Fortuitous
- (adj.) accidental, occurring by a happy chance
- contraband
- illegal traffic; smuggled goods; prohibited
- profligate
- given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral, prodigal
- querulous
- peevish, complaining, fretful
- epitome
- (n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
- sartorial
- of or pertaining to a tailor or his work, having to do with clothes or dress(mainly men's)
- Recapitulate
- DEFINITION: to review a series of facts to sum up SYNONYMS: review summarize sum up go over
- Flout
- v. to mock, treat with contempt
- adventitous
- resulting from chance rather, accidental, not essential
- aura
- that which surrounds; a distinctive air or personal quality
- Gratuitous
- (adj.) freely given; not called for by circumstances, unwarranted
- insurgent
- one who rebels or rises aginst authority
- Imperious
- (adj.) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling
- ex officio
- (adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office
- aver
- (v.) to affirm, declare confidently
- Covert
- (adj.) hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded; (n.) a sheltering place, a hiding place
- Pretentious
- DEFINITION: done for show striving to make a big impression claiming merit or position unjustifiably making demands on one's skill or abilities ambitious SYNONYMS: inflated ostentatious affected ANTONYMS: unassuming unaffected modest
- adamant
- firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible
- dispassionate
- adj. impartial; calm, free from emotion
- Autonomy
- n. self government, political control
- susceptible
- adj. open to; easily influenced; lacking in resistance
- discursive
- (adj.) passing aimlessly from one place or subject to another, rambling, roving, nomadic.
- paragon
- (n.) a model of excellence or perfection
- paraphrase
- (v.) to restate in other words (n.) a statement that presents a given idea in new language
- tenuous
- thin, not dense; lacking clarity; of slight importance; poorly supported
- Elicit
- to draw forth
- satiate
- (v.) to satisfy completely; to fill to excess; (adj.) full, satisfied.
- pillage
- to rob of goods by open force (as in war), plunder;
- Equitable
- adj. fair, just, embodying principles of justice
- interloper
- (n.) one who moves in where he or she in not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder
- criterion
- a rule, test; a standard for judgement or evaluation
- Dun
- (v.) to demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt; (n.) a creditor; (adj.) dark, dull, drab, dingy
- politic
- (adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient
- stalwart
- strong and sturdy, brave, resolute, one who takes an uncompromising position
- Jaded
- Worn out
- Innuendo
- A hint
- intrinsic
- (adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part
- ostentatious
- (adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy
- Munificent
- (adj.) extremely generous, lavish
- sear
- (v.) to make or become dry and withered; to char or scorch the surface of; to harden or make unfeeling; to patch, dessicate, singe.
- dissension
- n. disageement, sharp difference of opinion
- curtail
- to cut short, halt
- aplomb
- (n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
- sinecure
- a position requiring little or no work
- definitive
- conclusive, final
- drivel
- (n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly
- Fractious
- adj. tending to be trouplesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
- incontrovertible
- (adj.) unquestionable, beyond despute
- disconsolate
- (adj.) deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope, beyond consolation
- debase
- to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulterate; to cuase to deteriorate
- mitigate
- to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity
- Blazon
- v. to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaimed widely
- Motley
- (adj.) showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors; (n.) a jester's costume; a jester
- infringe
- (v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
- ennui
- weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
- simulate
- imitate
- enhance
- (v.) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of
- Abate
- DEFINITION: to make less in amount, degree to subside become less to nullify deduct omit SYNONYMS: Diminish decrease subside let up ANTONYMS: intensify increase magnify wax
- Straitlaced
- adj. extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
- crass
- coarse, unfeeling; stupid
- vicarious
- performed, sufered, or otherwise experieced by one person in place of another
- transgress
- to go beyond a limit or boundary
- Petulant
- Easily irritated
- cupidity
- (n.) an eager desire for something; greed
- Penury
- DEFINITION: extreme poverty barrenness insufficiency SYNONYMS: destitution want indigence ANTONYMS: affluence abundance luxury opulence
- megalomania
- a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc
- surreptitious
- stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation
- gauche
- (adj.) awkward, lacking in social graces, tactless, clumsy.
- encumber
- (v.) to weigh down or burden (with difficulties, cares, debt, etc.); to fill up, block up, hinder
- palpable
- (adj.) capable of being touched or felt; easily seen, heard, or recognized.
- permeate
- (v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak though
- caricature
- (n.) a representation (especially in drawing) in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; (v.) to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way
- impromptu
- without preparation, offhand, spontaneous
- lassitude
- (n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy
- abstemious
- (adj.) moderate, sparing; characterized by abstinence and self-dicipline.
- deplete
- to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly
- Novice
- DEFINITION: one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience SYNONYMS: neophyte tyro trainee apprentice ANTONYMS: veteran past master pro expert
- Meritorious
- Worthy
- perceptive
- (adj.) having sympathetic insight or understanding, capable of keen appreciation.
- Salutary
- adj. beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
- inauspicious
- (adj.) unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future
- denizen
- (n.) an inhabitant, resident; one who frequents a place.
- buttress
- (v.) to support, prop up, strengthen; (n.) a supporting structure
- ignoble
- adj. mean, low, base
- cajole
- to coax
- surgeit
- an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking, causing disgust; to feed or supply with anything to excess
- contingent
- (adj.) likely but not certain to happen, possible; dependent on uncertain events or conditions; happening by chance; (n.) a representative group forming part of a larger body.
- circuitous
- round about, not direct
- aspersion
- a damaging or derogatrory statement
- squeamish
- adj. inclined to nausea; easily shocked or upset; excessively fastidious or refined
- Caveat
- n. a warning or caution to prebent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
- desecrate
- to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently, to contaminate, the cemetery
- sadistic
- delighting in cruelty, excessively curel
- credulous
- too ready to believe, easily decieved
- extraneous
- comming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant
- grisly
- (adj.) fightful, horrible, ghasly
- Evanescent
- DEFINITION: Vanishing soon passing away light airy SYNONYMS: ephemeral transient transitory ANTONYMS: everlasting immortal imperishable
- berate
- to scold sharply
- contrive
- to plan with ingenuity
- beneficent
- performing acts of kindness or charity; conferring benefits, doing go
- inscrutable
- incapable of being understood
- consternation
- n. dismay, confusion
- extenuate
- (v.) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses
- demagogue
- a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
- redundant
- (adj.) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush
- Expostulate
- To attempt to dissuade some from a decision through reason, reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion
- commiserate
- to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
- cloy
- to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, to glut
- seditious
- resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthowing an established government
- amenable
- willing to follow advice or authority; tractable; submissice; responsive; liable to be held responsible
- intemperate
- adj. immoderate, lacking in self-control; inclement
- prate
- to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion
- Assuage
- to make easier or milder, relieve; to quite
- remit
- to send or hand in, to cancel, forgive, pay, absolve
- Efficacious
- (adj.) effective, producing results
- Coalition
- Union
- blatant
- (adj.) noisy in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense
- stingent
- (adj.) strict, severel rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste
- abominate
- to have an intense dislike or hatred for
- subservient
- adj. subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obedient; serving to promote some end
- acrimonious
- adj. stinging, bitter in temper or tone
- Procrastinate
- (v.) to delay, put off until later
- resilient
- able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
- Sedentary
- (adj.) characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place
- callow
- (adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers
- specious
- (adj.) deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit.
- reprove
- to find fault with, scold, rebuke
- sleazy
- thin or flimsy in texture, cheap, shoddy, or inferior in quality or character
- enjoin
- to direct or order; prescribe a course of action authoratively; prohibit
- foist
- (v.) to impose by fraud; to pass off as worthy or genuine; to bring about by stealth, dishonesty, or coercion.
- heresy
- (n.) an opinion different from accepted belief; the denial of an idea that is generally held sacred.
- opportune
- (adj.) suitable or convenient for a particular purpose; occuring at an appropriate time
- erudite
- scholarly; learned
- carousal
- (n.) noisy revelry or merrymaking (often with a suggestion of heavy drinking)
- Equanimity
- (n.) calmness, composure, refusal to panic
- winsome
- (adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)
- dowdy
- (adj.) poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness and good taste.
- corroborate
- (v.) to confirm, make more certain, blster, substantiate, verify.
- presentiment
- a vague sense of approaching misfortune
- mawkish
- excessively and objectionably sentimental
- nonplussed
- (adj., part.) puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss
- millennium
- (n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy
- concoct
- to prepare by combining ingredients, make up (as a dish); to devise, invent, fabricate
- thwart
- to oppose successfully, to prevent, frustrate, foil, baffle
- scintillating
- (adj., part.) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities)
- infirmity
- a weakness or ailment (physical, mental, moral, etc)
- wheedle
- to use coaxing ot flattery to gain come desired end
- enigmatic
- puzzling, perplexing, not easliy understood
- inculcate
- (v.) to impress on the mind by repetition, teach persistently and earnestly.
- Hackneyed
- Lacking freshness
- prosaic
- (adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic
- exhort
- (v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly
- censurable
- (adj.) deserving of blame or correction.
- Dilatory
- tenting to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone SYNONYMS: stalling slow tardy laggard ANTONYMS: prompt punctual speedy expeditious
- sangfroid
- composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances
- disavow
- v. to deny responsibility
- relegate
- v. to place in a lower position; to assign, refer, turn over; to banish
- affable
- coureous and pleasant; sociable, easy to speak to