2016 Vocabulary #15 – Period 5
1.
feign
[feyn]
–verb (used with object)
1. to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of: to feign sickness.
2. to invent fictitiously or deceptively, as a story or an excuse.
3. to imitate deceptively: to feign another's voice.
4. to make believe; pretend: She's only feigning, she isn't really ill.
Origin: 1250–1300; ME
2.
bemused
[bi-myoozd
adjective
1.
bewildered or confused.
2. lost in thought; preoccupied.
Origin: 1695–1705;
3.
indelible [in-del-uh-buhl] Show IPA
adjective
1. making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like: indelible ink.
2. that cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed, or the like: the indelible
memories of war; the indelible influence of a great teacher.
Origin: 1520–30; < Medieval Latin
4.
diffident
[dif-i-duh nt]
–adjective
1.
lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy.
2. restrained or reserved in manner, conduct, etc.
Origin:1425–75; late ME < L
5.
incongruity
in-kuh n-groo-i-tee,]
noun,
1. the state of out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming:
an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
2. not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts: an
incongruous mixture of architectural styles.
3. inconsistent: actions that were incongruous with their professed
principles.
Origin: 1525-35; < Late Latin
6.
bilk [bilk]
–verb
1. to defraud; cheat: He bilked the government of almost a million dollars.
2.
to evade payment of (a debt).
3.
to frustrate: a career bilked by poor health.
4. to escape from; elude: to bilk one's pursuers.
–noun
5. a cheat; swindler.
6. a trick; fraud; deceit.
Origin: 1625–35
7.
dour
doo r, douuh r, dou-er]
adjective
1.sullen; gloomy:The captain's dour look depressed us all.
2.severe; stern:His dour criticism made us regret having undertaken the job.
8.
pernicious [per-nish-uh s]
–adjective
1. causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful: pernicious
teachings; a pernicious lie.
2. deadly; fatal: a pernicious disease
Origin: 1515–25; < Latin
9.
sylvan
[sil-vuh n]
–adjective
1.consisting of or abounding in woods or trees; wooded; woody: a shady,
sylvan glade.
2.made of trees, branches, boughs, etc.
–noun
3.a person dwelling in a woodland region.
4.a mythical deity or spirit of the woods.
Origin: 1555–65; < L
10. enigmatic [en-ig-mat-ik, ee-nig-]
–adjective
perplexing; mysterious; not easily explained or accounted for; darkly
expressed; obscure; puzzling; as, an enigmatical answer.
Origin: 1620–30; < LL