LA8 Vocabulary 1
abduction: kidnapping
banter: good-natured; playful talk
cajoling: urging gently; coaxing
dear: greatly valued; precious
eccentric: very unusual in behavior; odd
falter: to become unsteady or lose confidence; waver
gnarled: rugged and roughened, as from old age or work
haphazardly: in a random manner
ignite: to cause to burn; kindle
jubilation: rejoicing; a celebration or expression of joy
LA8 Vocabulary 2
kindling: pieces of dry wood or other material that can be easily lighted to start a fire; tinder
lapse: to sink or slip gradually
malicious: showing ill will; spiteful
naive: simple; unsophisticated
palatable: acceptable to the taste; able to be eaten
rapture: a feeling of ecstasy; great joy
savor: to take great pleasure in
tangible: able to be seen or touched; material
vacuous: showing a lack of intelligence or thought
zeal: great enthusiasm; a devotion to a cause, an ideal, or a goal
LA8 Vocabulary 3
abomination: a hateful or disgusting thing
barren: empty
capricious: unpredictable
decree: an official order
ecstasy: intense joy or delight; bliss
fastidious: difficult to please
grimace: a facial expression of pain or disgust
humane: merciful; showing the best qualities of humans
impair: to weaken; damage
judicious: careful; showing sound judgment
LA8 Vocabulary 4
lavish: exceedingly generous; extravagant
menace: a possible danger; a threat
nondescript: lacking in distinctive qualities; drab
obsolete: out-of-date
pandemonium: wild confusion and noise; an uproar
pungent: sharp and intense, as an odor
rationalize: to make self-satisfying but incorrect explanations about one’s behavior
segregation: the process of separating others from the main body or group; the policy or practice of
separating one race from the rest of society
tedious: boring; tiresome because of length, slowness, or dullness
valor: courage; bravery
LA8 Vocabulary 5
absurd: ridiculously unreasonable
barricade: a structure set up to block a passage
censorship: the practice of banning writing, music, or visual material that is considered improper or
harmful
deftly: move in a quick and skillful manner
eloquence: an ability to speak forcefully and persuasively
fate: a power that is supposed to determine the course of events
hypocritical: false or deceptive, like a person who is pretending to be what he or she is not
impart: to make known; to give or reveal
invulnerable: impossible to hurt
loathe: to hate; to dislike someone or something greatly
LA8 Vocabulary 6
legitimate: logical; genuine
monotonous: repeating over and over; without variety
notorious: well-known, particularly for disgraceful behavior
ominous: menacing; threatening
paradox: a statement that appears to be illogical but may nevertheless be true
procure: to obtain; acquire
ravage: serious damage; widespread destruction
sever: to become separated; to be cut off from the whole
teem: to be full of; to abound
vault: to jump or leap
LA8 Vocabulary 7
access: the power to reach; to make use of; to get past barriers
beckon: to signal to come by nodding or waving
clarity: the quality of being easily seen; clearness
demise: an ending of existence
existence: the fact or state of being real
fauna: animals, especially those characteristic of a particular region
gifted: having natural talent or intelligence
hazel: a light brown or yellowish brown
impel: to drive, force, or urge to action
longing: a strong desire
LA8 Vocabulary 8
meditation: the act of deep thinking or reflection
naturalist: a person who studies living things by observing them directly
oppression: the act of keeping someone down through harsh and unjust use of power; the feeling of
being weighed down , either mentally or physically
peer: to look intently, searchingly, or with difficulty
ransom: a price or a payment demanded in return for the release of property or a person
sinister: suggestive of evil or misfortune
tentatively: with uncertainty or hesitation
vile: disgusting; hateful; unpleasant
wallow: to roll the body about, as an elephant in water or mud; to indulge in or take great pleasure and
delight in
yaw: to swerve off course momentarily or temporarily
LA8 Vocabulary 9
admonish: to caution; warn
adversary: an opponent
betrayal: the act of being disloyal
cliche: an overused expression that has lost its original quality or effect
desolate: having few or no inhabitants; lifeless
expedition: a group of people making a journey with a specific purpose
flora: plants, especially those characteristic of a particular region
foreboding: a feeling that something, especially bad or harmful, is about to happen
hypothesis: a theory used as a basis for research
impromptu: done on the spur of the moment; unplanned
LA8 Vocabulary 10
impudent: offensively bold and disrespectful
ledge: a narrow shelf
liable: likely
mutinous: rebelling against a leader
opportunist: a person who takes advantage of any opportunity to achieve a goal, with little regard for
moral principles
parched: extremely dry
peril: danger
rebuke: a sharp scolding or criticism
slight: an insult to one’s pride or self-esteem
tethered: tied to the ground or to another object
LA8 Vocabulary 11
Bigot: narrow-minded, prejudiced person
Counterfeit: fake; false
Kindle: to start a fire
Covert: hidden; undercover
Plagiarism: taking credit for someone else’s writing or ideas
Tangent: going off the main subject
Plaintiff: petitioner (in court of law)
Enhance: improve; make better or clearer
Cower: recoil in fear; shrink away from
Billowing: swelling; fluttering; waving
LA8 Vocabulary 12
Credible: believable
Nuzzle: cuddle; snuggle
Tardy: slow; late; overdue
Blatant: obvious
Creditable: praiseworthy
Laceration: a cut
Abstain: go without; withdraw
Plethora: an excess
Tedium: boredom
Absolution: forgiveness, pardon, release
LA8 Vocabulary 13
Enunciation: clear pronunciation; accent; articulation
Headstrong: stubborn; willful
Objective: unbiased; not subjective
Pliable: flexible; not stubborn
Cringe: recoil; flinch; shy away
Envenom: to cause bitterness or bad feeling
Resignation: acceptance of fate
Tenacious: stubborn; holding firm to a purpose
Resolution: determination
Tentative: not certain
LA8 Vocabulary 14
Bombast: arrogant; pompous language
Curtail: cut short
Lampoon: ridicule; spoof
Oblivious: totally unaware
Podium: raised platform
Cynical: believing that people act only out of selfish motives
Obscure: difficult to understand; partially hidden
Acrophobia: fear of heights
Obscured: hidden; covered; buried
Poised: calm; collected; self possessed
LA8 Vocabulary 15
Therapeutic: medicinal; calming
Braggart: someone who boasts
Restorative: a tonic; has healing power
Obsession: a dominating concern
Hinder: obstruct
Tirade: stream of verbal abuse
Decoy: lure; trap; trick
Erratic: wandering; irregular
Titter: giggle quietly
Lavish: on a grand scale wasteful