Weekly Vocabulary
Study ten words per week to be quizzed on each Friday. Quizzes will be
as follows: I will pronounce a word and you will spell it correctly, define it,
and use it in a sentence with contextual clues that help define it further. I
suggest you know the part of speech; if the word functions equally as two
parts of speech (a noun and a verb, for example) know the meanings for
each. When you write your sentences, you may use various forms of the
word: adjective, adverb, or any verb tense, provided you use the form
correctly. The quizzes are worth 20 points each.
1.
asceticism-
rigorous self-denial and active self-restraint (to
achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state)
2.
dint-
force or effort; interchangeable with “means” in the
expression “by dint of”
3.
envoy-
someone sent on a mission to represent the interests
of someone else (usually with less authority)
4.
defray-
To undertake the payment of (costs or expenses)
5.
crass-
So crude and unrefined as to be lacking in
discrimination and sensibility
6.
beguile-
influence by slyness or attract; cause to be
enamored
7.
allocation-
a share set aside for a specific purpose
8.
enjoins-
To direct or impose with authority and emphasis;
to prohibit or forbid
9.
oscillate-
To swing back and forth with a steady,
uninterrupted rhythm. Also, to waver, as between
conflicting opinions or courses of action; vacillate:
“The court has oscillated over the decades from
more liberal to less, more conservative to less,
depending upon who was president at the time of
vacancies”
10. interlope -
One that interferes with the affairs of others, often
for selfish reasons; a meddler
11. incarcerate-
lock up or confine, in or as in a jail; "The suspects
were imprisoned without trial"; "the murderer was
incarcerated for the rest of his life"
12. vacuous-
complacently or inanely foolish or devoid of
significance or point; "empty promises"; "a hollow
victory"
13. akimbo-
Placed in such a way as to have the hands on the
hips and the elbows bowed outward
14. jubilant-
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or
success
15. presumptuous-
Going beyond what is right or proper; excessively
forward
16. pecuniary-
relating to or involving money; "monetary
rewards"; "he received thanks but no pecuniary
compensation for his services"
17. licentious-
lacking moral discipline; especially sexually
unrestrained
18. muse-
(noun) a state of meditation; (noun) a guiding spirit;
source of inspiration; a poet; (verb) to be absorbed
in one's thoughts; engage in meditation; to consider
or say thoughtfully
19. subversive-
(adj.) intended or serving to subvert, especially
intended to overthrow or undermine an established
government (noun) one who advocates or is
regarded as advocating subversion
20. lassitude-
a state or feeling of weariness, diminished energy,
or listlessness
21. vacillate-
to sway from one side to the other; oscillate
22. initiative-
the power or ability to begin or to follow through
energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and
determination
23. disparity-
the condition or fact of being unequal, as in age,
rank, or degree
24. avocation-
an activity taken up in addition to one's regular
work or profession, usually for enjoyment; a hobby
25. efficacy-
power or capacity to produce a desired effect;
effectiveness
26. capricious-
characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive and
unpredictable
27. reticent-
inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and
personal affairs to oneself
28. hospice-
a lodging for travelers (especially one kept by a
monastic order); a program of medical and
emotional care for the terminally ill
29. moribund-
approaching death; about to die; or on the verge of
becoming obsolete
30. risqué-
verging upon impropriety; dangerously close to, or
suggestive of, what is indecent or of doubtful
morality
31. verisimilitude -
the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be
true
32. inexorable -
not capable of being persuaded by entreaty;
relentless
33. retinue -
the group following and attending to some
important person
34. insipid -
lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest;
dull
35. fedora -
a soft felt hat with a fairly low crown creased
lengthwise and a brim that can be turned up or
down
36. corroborate -
to strengthen or support with other evidence; make
more certain
37. physiognomy -
the art of judging human character from facial
features
38. suppliant -
asking humbly and earnestly; beseeching
39. tedium -
the quality or condition of being tedious;
tediousness or boredom
40. torrid -
characterized by intense emotion; or parched with
the heat of the sun; intensely hot
41. encumber -
to hinder or impede the action or performance of; to
burden with legal or financial obligations
42. impasse -
a road or passage with no exit; or a difficult
situation where no progress can be made
43. lugubrious -
excessively mournful, gloomy, dismayed
44. affront -
to insult intentionally
45. indolent -
disinclined to exert oneself, lazy; or causing little to
no pain
46. connoisseur -
a person with expert knowledge or training
(especially in the Fine Arts); or a person with
informed and discriminating taste
47. cajole -
to urge with gentle and repeated appeals
48. blasé -
uninterested because of frequent exposure or
indulgence; unconcerned; nonchalant
49. ribald -
characterized by or indulging in vulgar, lewd
humor; a vulgar/lewdly funny person
50. choleric -
easily angered; bad tempered; showing or
expressing anger
51. droll -
Amusingly odd or whimsically comical; a buffoon
52. adulation -
Excessive flattery or admiration
53. carnage -
Massive slaughter, as in war; a massacre; or
corpses, especially of those killed in battle
54. decrepit -
Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by
old age, illness, or hard use
55. expectorate -
To eject from the mouth; spit; to cough up and eject
by spitting
56. pusillanimous -
Lacking courage; cowardly
57. surfeit -
To feed or supply to excess; to overindulge
58. lethargic -
Deficient in alertness or activity
59. palpate -
To examine by feeling and pressing with the palms
of the hands and the fingers
60. peremptory -
Putting an end to all debate or action; not allowing
contradiction or refusal; having the nature of or
expressing a command; urgent; offensively selfassured; dictatorial
61. prostrate -
Lying face down, as in submission or adoration;
lying flat or at full length; reduced to extreme
weakness or incapacitation; overcome
62. plethora -
A superabundance; an excess; or an excess of blood
in the circulatory system or in one organ or area
63. palpitate -
To move with a slight tremulous motion; tremble,
shake, or quiver; to beat with excessive rapidity;
throb
64. propitious -
Presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious;
kindly; gracious
65. extricate -
To release from an entanglement or difficulty;
disengage
66. guffaw -
A hearty, boisterous burst of laughter
67. ignominious -
marked by or deserving disgrace or shame;
despicable
68. deem -
To have as an opinion; judge; or to regard as;
consider
69. fiasco -
A complete failure
70. pinnacle -
In architecture, a small turret or spire on a roof or
buttress; or a tall pointed formation, such as a
mountain peak; or the highest point; the culmination
71. admonish -
To reprove gently but earnestly; to counsel
(another) against something to be avoided; caution;
or to remind of something forgotten or disregarded,
as an obligation or a responsibility
72. vernacular -
The standard native language of a country or
locality; the everyday language spoken by a people
as distinguished from the literary language; an
idiomatic word, phrase, or expression
73. collusion -
A secret agreement between two or more parties for
a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose
74. cognizant -
Fully informed; conscious
75. barrage -
A heavy curtain of artillery fire directed in front of
friendly troops to screen and protect them; a rapid,
concentrated discharge of missiles, as from small
arms; an overwhelming, concentrated outpouring,
as of words: a barrage of criticism
76. ramification -
A development or consequence growing out of and
sometimes complicating a problem, plan, or
statement
77. unctuous -
Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere
earnestness
78. urbane -
Polite, refined, and often elegant in manner
79. aplomb -
Self-confident assurance; poise
80. nebulous -
Cloudy, misty, or hazy; lacking definite form or
limits; vague
81. brazen -
Marked by flagrant and insolent audacity,
shameless; having a loud, usually harsh, resonant
sound; or made of brass.
82. inscrutable -
Difficult to fathom or understand; impenetrable
83. ambulatory -
Capable of walking; not bedridden; or moving
about
84. ennui -
Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack
of interest; boredom
85. debilitate -
To sap the strength or energy of
86. fraternize -
To associate with others in a brotherly or congenial
way; or to associate on friendly terms with an
enemy or opposing group, often in violation of
discipline or orders
87. schism -
A separation or division into factions; formal breach
of union within a Christian church or the offense of
attempting to produce such a breach; or disunion;
discord
88. exonerate -
To free from blame; to free from a responsibility,
obligation, or task
89. sedition -
Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the
authority of a state; insurrection; or rebellion
90. prognosticate -
To predict according to present indications or signs;
foretell; predict; foreshadow; or portend
91. austere -
Severe or stern in disposition or appearance; somber
and grave; having no adornment or ornamentation;
bare
92. vehement -
Characterized by forcefulness of expression or
intensity of emotion or conviction; fervid; marked
by or full of vigor or energy; strong
93. strident -
Loud, harsh, grating, or shrill; discordant
94. ostentatious -
Intended to attract notice and impress others;
pretentious
95. derisive -
Mocking; jeering
96. sanguine -
Of the color of blood; red; of a healthy reddish
color; ruddy
97. corpulent -
Excessively fat
98. pompous -
Characterized by excessive self-esteem or
exaggerated dignity; pretentious
99. facetious -
Playfully jocular; humorous
100. manifest -
Clearly apparent to the sight or understanding;
obvious
101. malady -
A disease, a disorder, or an ailment; an
unwholesome condition
102. allude -
To make an indirect reference
103. grievance -
An actual or supposed circumstance regarded as just
cause for complaint; complaint or protestation based
on such a circumstance; injustice; indignation or
resentment stemming from a feeling of having been
wronged
104. scintillate -
To throw off sparks; flash; to sparkle or shine; to be
animated and brilliant
105. vitiate -
To reduce the value or impair the quality of; to
corrupt morally; debase; to make ineffective;
invalidate
106. remonstrance -
An expression of protest, complaint, or reproof,
especially a formal statement of grievances
107. profligate -
Given over to dissipation; dissolute; recklessly
wasteful; wildly extravagant
108. nuance -
a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
109. fortuitous -
Happening by accident or chance; lucky; fortunate
110. fecund -
Capable of producing offspring or vegetation;
fruitful; marked by intellectual productivity
111. status quo -
The existing condition or state of affairs
112. repartee -
A swift, witty reply; conversation marked by the
exchange of witty retorts
113. incendiary -
Causing or capable of causing fire; of or containing
chemicals that produce intensely hot fire when
exploded; of or involving arson; tending to inflame;
inflammatory
114. periphery -
A line that forms the boundary of an area; a
perimeter; the surface of a solid; the outermost part
or region within a precise boundary; a zone
constituting an imprecise boundary
115. emissary -
An agent sent on a mission to represent or advance
the interests of another
116. venerable -
Commanding respect by virtue of age, dignity,
character, or position; worthy of reverence,
especially by religious or historical association
117. brigand -
a robber or bandit, especially one of an outlaw band
118. felicity -
great happiness; bliss; an instance of great
happiness; a cause or source of happiness
119. magnanimous -
Courageously noble in mind and heart; generous in
forgiving; eschewing resentment or revenge;
unselfish
120. ubiquitous -
Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same
time; omnipresent
121. discern -
To perceive with the eyes or intellect; detect; to
recognize or comprehend mentally; to perceive or
recognize as being different or distinct; distinguish
122. veracity -
Adherence to the truth; truthfulness; conformity to
fact or truth; accuracy or precision; something that
is true
123. discursive -
Covering a wide field of subjects; rambling;
proceeding to a conclusion through reason rather
than intuition
124. epigram -
A short, witty poem expressing a single thought or
observation; concise, clever, often paradoxical
statement; epigrammatic discourse or expression.
125. laconic -
Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or
concise
126. mien -
Bearing or manner, especially as it reveals an inner
state of mind; an appearance or aspect
127. countenance -
Appearance, especially the expression of the face;
the face or facial features; look or expression
indicative of encouragement or of moral support;
bearing; demeanor
128. disdain -
To regard or treat with haughty contempt; despise;
to consider or reject as beneath oneself
129. wry -
Dryly humorous, often with a touch of irony;
temporarily twisted in an expression of distaste or
displeasure; abnormally twisted or bent to one side;
crooked; being at variance with what is right,
proper, or suitable; perverse
130. feign -
To give a false appearance of; to represent falsely;
pretend to; to imitate so as to deceive; to fabricate
131. curates -
A cleric, especially one who has charge of a parish
132. reverie -
A state of abstracted musing; daydreaming
133. nascent -
Coming into existence; emerging
134. nonplused -
To put at a loss as to what to think, say, or do;
bewilder; a state of perplexity, confusion, or
bewilderment
135. confound -
To cause to become confused or perplexed; to fail
to distinguish; mix up; to make (something bad)
worse; to cause to be ashamed; abash; to damn
136. gambol -
To leap about playfully; frolic; a playful skipping or
frolicking about
137. mutability -
Capable of or subject to change or alteration; prone
to frequent change; inconstant
138. to quail -
To shrink back in fear; cower
139. ethereal -
Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality;
intangible; highly refined; delicate; the celestial
spheres; heavenly; not of this world; spiritual
140. pedantic -
Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious
concern for book learning and formal rules
141. pernicious -
Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly
142. fatuous -
Vacuously, smugly, and unconsciously foolish;
delusive; unreal
143. writhe -
To twist, as in pain, struggle, or embarrassment; to
move with a twisting or contorted motion; to suffer
acutely
144. incredulous -
Skeptical; disbelieving; expressive of disbelief
145. furtive -
Characterized by stealth; surreptitious; expressive
of hidden motives or purposes; shifty
146. interminable -
Being or seeming to be without an end; endless;
tiresomely long; tedious
147. obliquely -
Indirect or evasive; devious, misleading, or
dishonest; having a slanting or sloping direction,
course, or position; inclined
148. acute (not angles) -
Having a sharp point or tip; keenly perceptive or
discerning; reacting readily to stimuli or
impressions; sensitive; of great importance or
consequence; extremely sharp or severe; intense;
having a rapid onset and following a short but
severe course; afflicted by a disease exhibiting a
rapid onset followed by a short, severe course; high
in pitch; shrill
149. obtuse (not angles) -
Lacking quickness of perception or intellect;
characterized by a lack of intelligence or sensitivity;
not distinctly felt; not sharp, pointed, or acute in
form
150. febrile -
Of, relating to, or characterized by fever; feverish
151. labyrinth -
An intricate structure of interconnecting passages
through which it is difficult to find one's way; a
maze; something highly intricate or convoluted in
character, composition, or construction
152. obfuscate -
To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to
perceive or understand; to render indistinct or dim;
darken
153. primeval -
Belonging to the first or earliest age or ages;
original or ancient
154. salubrious -
Conducive or favorable to health or well-being
155. beseech -
To address an earnest or urgent request to; implore:
to request earnestly; beg for
156. pathos -
A quality, as of an experience or a work of art, that
arouses feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or
sorrow; the feeling, as of sympathy or pity, so
aroused
157. capitulate -
To surrender under specified conditions; come to
terms; to give up all resistance; acquiesce
158. astute -
Having or showing shrewdness and discernment,
especially with respect to one's own concerns
159. solicitous -
Anxious or concerned; expressing care or concern;
full of desire; eager; marked by or given to anxious
care and often hovering attentiveness; extremely
careful; meticulous
160. deprecating -
To express disapproval of; deplore; to belittle;
depreciate
161. prodigal -
Rashly or wastefully extravagant; giving or given in
abundance; lavish or profuse; one who is given to
wasteful luxury or extravagance
162. albeit -
Even though; although; notwithstanding
163. sinecure -
A position or office that requires little or no work
but provides a salary
164. prolixity -
Tediously prolonged; wordy; tending to speak or
write at excessive length
165. visage -
The face or facial expression of a person;
countenance; appearance; aspect
166. presage -
An indication or warning of a future occurrence; an
omen; feeling or intuition of what is going to occur;
a presentiment; prophetic significance or meaning; a
prediction
167. bereft -
To leave desolate or alone, especially by death; to
take (something valuable or necessary), typically by
force
168. gratis -
Without charge
169. intercession -
Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or
petition to God in behalf of another; mediation in a
dispute
170. lineaments -
A distinctive shape, contour, or line, especially of
the face; a definitive or characteristic feature
171. accouterments -
An accessory item of equipment or dress; often used
in the plural; military equipment other than
uniforms and weapons
172. pertinacity -
Persistent determination
173. viands -
Provisions
174. impunity -
Exemption from punishment, penalty, or harm
175. accordant -
Being in agreement or harmony; consonant
176. impute -
To relate to a particular cause or source; attribute
the fault or responsibility to; to assign as a
characteristic; credit; attribute
177. parapet -
A low protective wall or railing along the edge of a
raised structure such as a roof or balcony; an
earthen or stone embankment protecting soldiers
from enemy fire
178. deportment -
A manner of personal conduct; behavior
179. temperance -
Moderation and self-restraint, as in behavior or
expression; restraint in the use of or abstinence from
alcoholic liquors
180. surly -
Sullenly ill-humored; gruff; threatening, as of
weather conditions; ominous; arrogant; domineering
181. sundry -
Various; miscellaneous
182. ponderous -
Having great weight; unwieldy from weight or bulk;
lacking grace or fluency; labored and dull
183. enigma -
One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable; a
perplexing speech or text; a riddle
184. copious -
Yielding or containing plenty; affording ample
supply; large in quantity; abundant; abounding in
matter, thoughts, or words; wordy
185. irksome -
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
186. habiliments -
The special dress or garb associated with an
occasion or office; characteristic furnishings or
equipment; trappings
187. brevity -
The quality or state of being brief in duration;
concise expression; terseness
188. aesthetic -
Relating to the philosophy or theories of aesthetics;
f or concerning the appreciation of beauty or good
taste; characterized by a heightened sensitivity to
beauty; conforming to accepted notions of good
taste; guiding principle in matters of artistic beauty
and taste; artistic sensibility
189. gout -
a metabolic disease marked by a painful
inflammation of the joints, deposits of urates in and
around the joints, and usually an excessive amount
of uric acid in the blood
190. scrupulous -
Conscientious and exact; painstaking; principled
191. resolute -
Firm or determined; unwavering
192. vanquish -
To defeat or conquer in battle; subjugate; to defeat
in a contest, conflict, or competition; to overcome
or subdue
193. meet (not in the rendezvous sense) - To come into
conjunction with; join; to come into the company or
presence of, as for a conference; to come to the
notice of (the senses); to experience; undergo; to
deal with; oppose; to cope or contend effectively
with; to come into conformity with the views,
wishes, or opinions of; to satisfy (a need, for
example); fulfill; to pay; settle
194. rendezvous -
A meeting at a prearranged time and place; a
prearranged meeting place, especially an assembly
point for troops or ships; popular gathering place
195. amorous -
Strongly attracted or disposed to love, especially
sexual love; indicative of love or sexual desire; of
or associated with love; being in love; enamored
196. languid -
Lacking energy or vitality; weak; showing little or
no spirit or animation; listless; lacking vigor or
force; slow
197. extol -
To praise highly; exalt
198. dissolute -
Lacking moral restraint; indulging in sensual
pleasures or vices
199. turgid -
Excessively ornate or complex in style or language;
swollen or distended, as from a fluid; bloated
200. ebullient -
Zestfully enthusiastic; boiling or seeming to boil;
bubbling
201. equivocal -
Open to two or more interpretations and often
intended to mislead; ambiguous; of uncertain
significance; of a doubtful or uncertain nature
202. resplendent -
Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant
203. hinder -
Located at or forming the back or rear; posterior; To
be or get in the way of; to obstruct or delay the
progress of
204. dubious -
Fraught with uncertainty or doubt; undecided;
rousing doubt; doubtful; of questionable character
205. corporeal -
Of, relating to, or characteristic of the body; of a
material nature; tangible
206. derive -
To obtain or receive from a source; to arrive at by
reasoning; deduce or infer; to trace the origin or
development of (a word); to generate (a surface
structure) from a deep structure
207. ruminate -
To turn a matter over and over in the mind
208. errant -
Roving, especially in search of adventure; straying
from the proper course or standards; wandering
outside the established limits; aimless or irregular in
motion
209. zest -
Flavor or interest; piquancy; the outermost part of
the rind of an orange, lemon, or other citrus fruit,
used as flavoring; spirited enjoyment; gusto
210. goad -
A long stick with a pointed end used for prodding
animals; an agent or means of prodding or urging;
or to prod or urge with or as if with a long pointed
stick.
211. vexation -
The act of annoying, irritating, or vexing; the
quality or condition of being vexed; annoyance; a
source of irritation or annoyance
212. rigor -
Strictness or severity, as in temperament, action, or
judgment; a harsh or trying circumstance; hardship;
harsh or cruel act
213. beget -
To father; sire; to cause to exist or occur; produce
214. recourse -
The act or an instance of turning or applying to a
person or thing for aid or security; the right to
demand payment from the endorser of a commercial
paper when the first party liable fails to pay
215. discourse -
Verbal expression in speech or writing; verbal
exchange; conversation; a formal, lengthy
discussion of a subject, either written or spoken; the
process or power of reasoning
216.exploit(noun or verb)-
n. An act or deed, especially a brilliant or heroic one
v. To employ to the greatest possible advantage; to
make use of selfishly or unethically; to advertise;
promote
217. assail -
To attack with or as if with violent blows; assault;
to attack verbally, as with ridicule or censure; to
trouble; beset
218. garrison -
A military post, especially one that is permanently
established; the troops stationed at a military post
219. vigilant -
On the alert; watchful
220. denote -
To mark; indicate; to serve as a symbol or name for
the meaning of; signify; to signify directly; refer to
specifically