Vocabulary Unit 1
approbation
(n.) the expression of approval or favorable
opinion, praise; official approval
Ex: The court gave its
approbation on the deal that
merged the two companies.
assuage
(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet,
calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy,
quench
Ex: I gave my mother my flight
itinerary to assuage her fears of my
traveling alone.
coalition
(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some
specific purpose
Ex: The school
created a coalition
to prevent bullying
called H.A.B.I.T.
decadence
(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; excessive
self-indulgence
Ex: Vanity is a trait that
is often a sign of
decadence, as it leads to
staring into every mirror
one passes.
elicit
(v) to draw forth, bring out from some source
(such as another person)
Ex: His rude behavior
elicited boos from the
angry crowd.
expostulate
(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from
some course or decision by earnest
reasoning
Ex: Because of her
own fear of flying, I
knew it was
pointless to try to
expostulate with my
mother so that I
could fly to Ireland
on vacation.
hackneyed
(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or
originality
Ex: I searched Hallmark
for a birthday card that
avoided the usual
hackneyed expressions.
hiatus
(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of
having an element missing)
Ex: Every summer, our
favorite television
shows go on hiatus, and
instead of new episodes
to watch, we are left
with repeats.
innuendo
(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference
(often in a derogatory sense)
Ex: If you really
want to ask a
person on a date,
avoid subtle
innuendos and just
walk up to them
and ask!
intercede
(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to
serve as a third party or go-between in a
disagreement
Ex: Children
sometimes feel it
necessary to
intercede on behalf
of one parent or the
other when the
parents have a
disagreement.
jaded
(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the
sense of being satiated by excessive
indulgence)
Ex: Jack became jaded after
being turned away by job
after job; it was hard for
him to approach each
interview with enthusiasm
knowing he was competing
with so many other eager
teenagers.
lurid
(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion;
sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible
or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
Ex: The details of the murder on
the college campus were so lurid
that many news organizations did
not print them.
meritorious
(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and
praise
Ex: The
volunteer
firefighters were
praised by the
mayor for their
meritorious
rescue efforts in
the conflagration.
petulant
(adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily
irritated and upset
Ex: The petulant child
cried whenever
anyone else played
with his toys.
prerogative
(n.) a special right or privilege; a special
quality showing excellence
Ex: An accomplished athlete
like Michael Phelps has the
prerogative to be called “the
best”.
provincial
(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in
mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being
limited and backward; of a simple, plain design
that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person
with a narrow point of view; a person from an
outlying area;
simulate
(v.) to make a pretense of, imitate; show the
outer signs of
Ex: Sadly, I fell asleep
playing “The Sims,” and my
simulated husband burned
himself alive while cooking
at the stove; I awoke to find
nothing left of him but his
ashes in an urn. 
transcend
(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed
Ex: Most literature that
is considered “classic”
are pieces that transcend
their settings and depict
universal values and
emotions.
umbrage
(n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade;
an overshadowing influence or power;
offense, resentment; a vague suspicion
Ex: We built our house in the
umbrage of a beautiful maple tree.
unctuous
(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too
hard to give an impression of earnestness,
sincerity, or piety
Ex: The politician’s
unctuous behavior
made the crowd
uncomfortable, rather
than make him appear
trustworthy.