Vocabulary Unit 1
1. approbation
n.
the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval
2. assuage
v.
to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench
3. coalition
n.
a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose
4. decadence
n.
a decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive
self-indulgence
5. elicit
v.
to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)
6. expostulate
v.
to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning
7. hackneyed
adj.
used so often as to lack freshness or originality
8. hiatus
n.
a gap, opening, or break (in the sense of having an element missing)
9. innuendo
n.
a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a negative or derogatory sense)
10. intercede
v.
to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third-party or go-between in a
disagreement
11. jaded
12. lurid
adj.
adj.
wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or
passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
13. meritorious
adj.
worthy, deserving recognition and praise
14. petulant
adj.
peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset
15. prerogative
16. provincial
n.
adj.
n.
a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence
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
a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier
from a province or colony
17. simulate
v.
to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of; to create a likeness or model
18. transcend
v.
to rise above or beyond; exceed
19. umbrage
n.
shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense,
resentment; a vague suspicion
20. unctuous
adj.
fatty or oily; pliable; excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of
earnestness, sincerity, or piety
Vocabulary Unit 2
1. ameliorate
v.
to improve, make better; correct a flaw or shortcoming
2. aplomb
adj.
poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
3. bombastic
adj.
pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack
of ideas
4. callow
adj.
without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise;
without feathers (in young birds)
5. drivel
n.
v.
foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose
to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to let saliva flow from mouth; to waste or fritter
away foolishly
6. epitome
n.
an instance that represents a larger reality; a summary, condensed account
7. exhort
v.
to urge strongly, advise earnestly
8. ex officio
adj/ adv.
by virtue of holding a certain office. Example: "Heads of state are often ex officio heads
of the armed forces."
9. infringe
v.
to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
10. ingratiate
v.
to make oneself agreeable to gain favorable acceptance by others (sometimes used
in a critical or derogatory sense)
11. interloper
n.
an intruder, one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be
12. intrinsic
adj.
belonging to someone or something by its very nature; essential, inherent; originating
in a bodily organ or part; good for its own sake
13. inveigh
v.
to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
14. lassitude
n.
weariness of body or mind, lack of energy
15. millennium
n.
a period of 1,000 years; a period of great joy, prosperity, or peace (pl. millennia)
16. occult
adj.
n.
secret; hidden from view; mysterious, magical, supernatural
matters involving the supernatural
17. permeate
v.
to spread through, penetrate, soak through
18. precipitate
v.
to bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to;
to fall as moisture (rain);
characterized by excessive haste
moisture; the product of an action or process
adj.
n.
19. stringent
adj.
20. surmise
v.
n.
strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste
to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess
an idea or thought that seems likely but lacks definite proof
Vocabulary Unit 3
1. abominate
v.
to have an intense dislike or hatred for
2. acculturation n.
the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by
contact with those of another
3. adventitious adj.
resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental,
not essential
4. ascribe
to assign or refer to (as a cause or source); to attribute (credit somebody with something)
v.
5. circuitous
adj.
roundabout, not direct
6. commiserate
v.
to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
7. enjoin
v.
to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit
8. expedite
v.
to make easy; to cause to progress faster
9. expiate
v.
to make amends, atone, make up for; to ward off or avert
10. ferment
n.
v.
a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence
to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical reaction
11. inadvertent
12. nominal
adj.
resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental
adj. existing in name only; not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
13. noncommittal adj. not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no
14. peculate
v.
to steal something that has been given into one’s trust; to take improperly for one’s
own use.
15. proclivity
n.
a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)
16. sangfroid
n.
composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances
17. seditious
adj.
resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of an established government
18. tenuous
adj.
thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or
significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported
19. vitriolic
adj.
bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)
20. wheedle
v.
to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end
Vocabulary Unit 4
1. affable
2. aggrandize
adj.
v.
courteous and pleasant, sociable; easy to speak to
to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
3. amorphous adj.
shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization,
unity, or cohesion
4. archetype
n.
an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a
particular type of person or thing
5. aura
n.
that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
6. contraband
n.
adj.
illegal traffic; smuggled goods
illegal; prohibited
7. erudite
adj.
scholarly, learned; boorish (dull, rude); pedantic
8. gossamer
adj.
n.
thin, light, delicate, insubstantial
a very thin, light cloth
9. inscrutable adj.
10 . insular
adj.
impossible to see through physically; incapable of being understood
relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or
experience
11. irrevocable adj.
incapable of being changed or called back
12. propensity
n.
a natural inclination or bent toward; tendency
13. querulous
adj.
peevish (irritable); complaining; fretful
14. remonstrate v.
to argue with someone against something, protest against
15. repudiate
to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
16 resilient
17. reverberate
v.
adj.
v.
able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
18. scurrilous adj.
coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed
19. sedulous
adj.
persistent; showing industry and determination
20. sleazy
adj.
cheap; inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable
Vocabulary Unit 5
1. amnesty
n.
general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness
2. autonomy
n.
self-government, political control
3. axiomatic
adj.
self-evident; expressing a universally accepted principle or rule
4. blazon
v.
to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
5. caveat
n.
a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
6. equitable
adj.
fair, just; embodying principles of justice
7. extricate
v.
to free from entanglements or difficulties; remove with effort
8. filch
v.
to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
9. flout
v.
to mock, treat with contempt
10. fractious
adj.
tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
11. precept
n.
12. salutary
adj.
beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome
13. scathing
adj.
bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
14. scourge
v.
n.
15 soporific
adj.
n.
a rule of conduct or action
to whip, punish severely
a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism
tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy
something that induces (causes) sleep
16. sepulchral
adj.
funereal, (solemn; mournful); extremely gloomy or dismal; typical of the tomb
17. straitlaced
adj.
extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
18. transient
adj.
n.
lasting only a short time, fleeting;
one who stays only a short time
19. unwieldy
adj.
not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
20. vapid
adj.
dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
Vocabulary Unit 6
1. anomalous
adj.
2. aspersion
n.
extremely strange, unusual; atypical
a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming
3. bizarre
adj.
abnormal, irregular; departing from the usual
4. brusque
adj.
abrupt; blunt, with no formalities
5. cajole
v.
to coax, persuade through flattery; deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
6. castigate
v.
to punish severely; criticize severely
7. contrive
v.
to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
8. demagogue n.
a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain
power
9. disabuse
v.
to free from deception or error; to set right in ideas or thinking
10. ennui
n.
weariness and discontent from lack of occupation or interest; boredom
11. fetter
n.
v.
(often used in plural) chain or shackle placed on the feet; anything that confines or restrains
to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent
12. heinous
adj.
very wicked, offensive, hateful
13. immutable adj.
not subject to change; constant
14. insurgent
one who rebels or rises against authority
rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on
n.
adj.
15. megalomania n.
a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc. far in excess of reality
16. sinecure
a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
n.
17. surreptitious adj.
stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud
18. transgress
v.
to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
19. transmute
v.
to change from one nature, substance, or form to another; to transform
20. vicarious
adj.
performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
Vocabulary Unit 7
1. austere
adj.
severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain; harsh or sour
in flavor
2. beneficent adj.
performing acts of kindness or charity; conferring benefits; doing good
3. cadaverous adj.
pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse
4. concoct
to prepare by combining ingredients, make up (as a dish); to devise, invent, fabricate
5. crass
v.
adj.
coarse, unfeeling; stupid
6. debase
v.
to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulterate; to cause to deteriorate
7. desecrate
v.
to commit sacrilege, treat irreverently; to contaminate, pollute
8. disconcert
v.
to confuse; to disturb the composure of
9. grandiose
adj.
10. inconsequential
grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affectation or grandeur;
absurdly exaggerated
adj.
trifling, unimportant
11. infraction
n.
breaking of a law or obligation
12. mitigate
v.
to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity
13. pillage
v.
n.
to rob of goods by open force (as in war), plunder
the act of looting; booty (the stolen goods)
14. prate
v.
to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion
15. punctilious adj.
very careful and exact; attentive to fine points of etiquette (manners)
16. redoubtable
adj.
inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent (prominent; outstanding
17. reprove
v.
to find fault with; scold; rebuke
18. restitution
n.
the act of restoring someone/ something to the rightful owner or to a former state or position;
making good for loss or damage
19. stalwart
adj.
n.
strong and sturdy; brave; resolute
a brave, strong person; a strong supporter; one who takes an uncompromising position
20. vulnerable
adj.
open to attack; capable of being wounded or damages; unprotected
Vocabulary Unit 8
1. acrimonious adj.
stinging, bitter in temper or tone
2. bovine
resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive
adj.
3. consternation n.
dismay; confusion
4. corpulent
fat; having a large, bulky body
adj.
5. disavow
v.
6. dispassionate
to deny knowledge of, responsibility for, or connection with; disown; repudiate
adj.
impartial; calm; free from emotion; devoid of personal feeling or bias
7. dissension
n.
disagreement, contention, or quarrel; a sharp difference of opinion; discord
8. dissipate
v.
to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel; to spend foolishly, squander; to be extravagant
in pursuit of pleasure
9. expurgate
v.
to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse; purify of moral
offensiveness
n.
an armored or protective glove; a challenge to combat; an ordeal; two lines of men
armed with weapons used to beat a person forced to run between them
10. gauntlet
11. hypothetical adj.
12. ignoble
adj.
13. impugn
v.
based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or
direct investigation
mean, low, base; of low character, grade or quality; not noble, of humble rank
call another’s statements, motives, etc. into question, cast doubts; attack as false
14. intemperate adj.
unrestrained, unbridled; immoderate in indulgence of appetite or passion; lacking in
self-control; inclement; extreme in temperature, as in climate
15. odium
n.
extreme hatred or dislike, especially toward a person or thing regarded as contemptible,
repugnant, or despicable; disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct
16. perfidy
n.
a deliberate breach of faith or trust; faithlessness; treachery
17. relegate
v.
to send or consign someone to a lower (inferior) position, place or condition; to assign,
or refer, or turn over (something) to send into exile; banish.
18. squeamish
adj.
easily nauseated or disgusted; easily shocked or upset by anything slightly immodest,
prudish; excessively fastidious or dainty
19. subservient adj.
subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obedient; serving to promote some end
20. susceptible adj.
easily influenced, impressionable, capable of affected emotionally; lacking in resistance
Vocabulary Unit 9
1. abate
v.
to make less in amount, degree, etc.; to subside, become less; to nullify; to deduct, omit
2. adulation
n.
praise or flattery that is excessive; excessive devotion
3. anathema
n.
an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectively without
the article “the” or “an”)
4. astute
adj.
5. avarice
shrewd, clever, crafty, cunning; showing practical wisdom
n.
greedy desire, particularly for wealth
6. culpable adj.
deserving blame; worthy of condemnation; blameworthy
7. dilatory
tending to delay or procrastinate; not prompt; late or tardy; intended to delay or postpone
adj.
8. egregious
adj.
conspicuous; glaring, flagrant; standing out from the mass (used in an unfavorable sense)
9. equivocate
v.
to speak in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or
ambiguous; to hedge
10. evanescent
adj.
fleeting; vanishing; soon passing away; light and airy
11. irresolute
adj.
unable to make up one’s mind; hesitating; vacillating; doubtful
12. nebulous
adj.
hazy or cloudlike; cloudy in color; not transparent ; vague, confused, indistinct
13. novice
n.
one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience; tyro
14. penury
n.
extreme poverty; barrenness; insufficiency
15. pretentious
adj.
16. recapitulate
v.
to review a series of facts; to sum up (shortened version: recap)
17. resuscitate
v.
to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence
18. slovenly
19. supposition
20. torpid
adv.
n.
adj.
done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably;
ambitious
untidy or unclean in appearance or habits, dirty; careless
something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence; assumption
inactive, sluggish, dull
Vocabulary Unit 10
1. accrue
v.
to grow or accumulate in the course of time; to happen as a natural result
2. annotation
n.
a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work
3. bedlam
n.
4. covert
adj.
n.
a state or scene of uproar and confusion; etymology: refers to a London hospital for the insane
hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded
a sheltered place; a hiding place
5. debonair
adj.
pleasant, courteous; smooth and polished in manners and appearance; suave
6. dun
v.
n.
adj.
to demand insistently, especially payment of a debt
a creditor
dark, dull, drab, dingy (color)
7. efficacious
adj.
effective; producing the desired results
8. equanimity
n.
calmness; composure; refusal to panic
9 . fortuitous
adj.
accidental; happening by a happy chance; lucky
n.
the essential part, main point, or essence
10. gist
11. gratuitous adj.
freely given; not called for by circumstances; unwarranted; needless
12. imperious
overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling
adj.
13. invective
n.
adj.
a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language
abusive; vituperative
14. motley
adj.
n.
showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors
a jester’s costume; a jester
15. munificent
adj.
extremely generous; lavish
16. procrastinate v.
to delay, put off until later
17. provocative adj.
tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating;
annoying
18. recondite
adj.
exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding; known by few
19. reprobate
n.
adj.
a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person; a scoundrel
wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled
20. sedentary
adj.
characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place
v. to disapprove of, condemn
Vocabulary Unit 11
1. abstemious
adj.
moderate, sparing (as in eating and drinking); characterized by abstinence and self-discipline
2. censurable
adj.
deserving of blame or correction
3. contingent
adj.
n.
likely but not certain to happen, possible; dependent on uncertain events or conditions;
happening by chance
a representative group forming a part of a larger body
4. corroborate
v.
to confirm, make more certain, bolster, substantiate, verify
5. denizen
n.
an inhabitant, resident; one who frequents a place
6. discursive
adj. passing aimlessly from one place or subject to another, rambling; roving; nomadic
7. disseminate
v.
to scatter or spread widely
8. dowdy
adj.
poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness and good taste
9. florid
adj.
highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, over decorated; showy
10. foist
v.
to impose by fraud; to pass off as worthy or genuine; to bring in by stealth, dishonesty,
or coercion
11. gauche
adj.
awkward, lacking in social graces, tactless, clumsy
12. heresy
n.
an opinion different from accepted belief; the denial of an idea that is generally held sacred
13. inculcate
v.
to impress on the mind by repetition; teach persistently and earnestly
14. palpable
adj.
capable of being touched or felt; easily seen, heard, or recognized
15. perceptive
adj.
having sympathetic insight or understanding, capable of keen appreciation
16. pernicious
adj.
extremely harmful; deadly; fatal
17. salient
adj.
n.
leaping, jumping, or springing forth; prominent, standing out, conspicuous
a projection or bulge, a land form that projects upward or outward
18. satiate
v.
adj.
to satisfy completely; to fill to excess
full, satisfied
19. sear
20. specious
v.
adj.
to make or become dry and withered; to char or scorch the surface of; to harden or make
unfeeling; to parch, singe
deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit
Vocabulary Unit 12
1. absolve
v.
to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
2. caricature
n.
v.
a representation, such as a drawing, that exaggerates a subject’s characteristic features
to represent someone or something in a deliberately distorted way
3. clangor
n.
v.
a loud ringing sound;
to make a loud, ringing noise
4. contiguous
adj.
5. cupidity
n.
6. deleterious
side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
an eager desire for something; greed
adj.
harmful; injurious
7. enhance
v.
to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of
8. enthrall
v.
to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison;
9. extenuate
v.
to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses
10. implicit
adj.
implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning;
potentially contained in
11. incisive
adj.
sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
12. inimical
adj.
tending to cause harm or obstruct developments; being oppositional or adverse
13 ostentatious
14. paragon
15. politic
adj.
n.
a model of excellence or perfection
adj.
16. prosaic
tactful; diplomatic; prudent , shrewdly conceived and developed; artful; expedient
adj.
dull, ordinary; lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact; straightforward
17. redundant adj.
18. sanctimonious
19. scintillating
20. winsome
marked by conspicuous or pretentious display; showy
extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse; lush
adj.
adj.
adj.
self-righteous, holier-than-thou; making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically
moralistic or pious
sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities)
charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)
Vocabulary Unit 13
1. abet
v.
to encourage, assist, aid, support (especially in something worthy or unworthy)
2. aver
v.
to affirm, declare confidently
3. blatant
adj.
4. broach
v.
noisy in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense
n.
to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject); to announce, introduce; to break the surface of
the water; to turn sideways to the wind and waves; to pierce (a keg or cask) in order to draw
off liquid
a spit for roasting; a tool for tapping casks
5. buttress
v.
n.
to support, prop up, strengthen
a supporting structure
6. carousal
n.
noisy revelry or merrymaking (often with a suggestion of heavy drinking)
7. collate
v.
to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities, etc.; to arrange in order for some
specific purpose
8. connoisseur
n. an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts
9. disconsolate
adj.
deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope; beyond consolation
10. encumber
v.
to weigh down or burden (with difficulties, cares, debt, etc.); to fill up, block up, hinder
11. foment
v.
to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm
12. grisly
adj.
frightful, horrible, ghastly
13. herculean
adj.
(capital H) relating to Hercules ; (lowercase h) characterized by great strength; very hard to
do in the sense of requiring unusual strength
14. impassive adj.
15. inauspicious
showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate; motionless
adj. unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future
16. incontrovertible adj. unquestionable, beyond dispute
17. nonplussed
18. opportune
19. prolific
20. rejoinder
adj./ part.
adj.
adj.
n.
puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss
suitable or convenient for a particular purpose; occurring at an appropriate time
abundantly productive; abundant, profuse
a reply to a reply, especially from the defendant in a legal suit
Vocabulary Unit 14
1. amenable
adj.
willing to follow advice or authority, tractable, submissive
2. berate
v.
to scold sharply
3. carnage
n.
large-scale slaughter or loss of life
4. credulous
adj.
too ready to believe, easily deceived
5. criterion
n.
a rule, test; a standard for judgment or evaluation (pl. criteria)
6. deplete
v.
to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly
7. expatiate
v.
to expand on, write or talk at length or in detail; to move about freely
8. extraneous adj.
coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant
9. inception
n.
the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process, institution, etc.
10. infirmity
n.
a weakness or ailment (physical, mental, moral, etc.)
11. jejune
adj.
lacking in nutritive value; lacking in interest or substance; immature, juvenile
12. obdurate
adj.
stubborn; unyielding
13. potpourri
n.
a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items; a general mixture; petals mixed with spices for
scent
14. precocious adj.
showing unusually early development (especially in talents and mental capacity)
15. sadistic
delighting in cruelty, excessively cruel
adj.
16. sententious adj.
self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maxims or adages; saying much in
few words; pithy
17. supplicate v.
to beg earnestly and humbly
18. surfeit
n.
v.
an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking, causing disgust
to feed or supply with anything to excess
19. tortuous
adj.
winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved complex; devious
20. turgid
adj.
swollen, bloated, filled to excess; over-decorated or excessive language
Vocabulary Unit 15
1. adamant
adj.
n.
firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate; implacable, inflexible
an extremely hard substance
2. brouhaha
n.
a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond
what is justified
3. bulwark
n.
v.
a strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense
to provide such defense or protection
4. choleric
adj.
easily made angry; bad-tempered
5. cloy
v.
to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things;
to glut, satiate, surfeit
6. curtail
v.
to cut short, bring to a halt, or end sooner than expected; to reduce
7. deference
n.
courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by
submission, as to a superior
8. definitive
adj.
9. demeanor
n.
10. enigmatic
adj.
conclusive, final, the limit of what can be done
the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial
appearance, mien
puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood
11. impromptu adj./ adv. without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done
n.
an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation
12. mawkish
adj.
excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor
13. mollify
v.
to soften; to calm, allay (as an emotion); reduce in intensity
14. onus
n.
something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma;
blame
15. presentiment
16. profligate
17. remit
n.
adj.
n.
v.
a vague sense of approaching misfortune
given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant
a person given to wild spending
to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive; to lessen,
diminish; postpone, defer
18. requisite
adj.
needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable
19. sartorial
adj.
of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men’s)
20. thwart
v.
to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate
Vocabulary Mnemonic Wall Card
1. This project is to help you remember the meanings of the words in our vocabulary list.
2. The BEST thing to do is to make a little card for EACH word on the vocabulary list and
then put the cards on a book ring to have as a running collection of flashcards. This is
what the honors and AP students do to study vocabulary. FOR MY CLASS, I will give
you a large index card and you will be responsible for making a card for the ONE word you
are assigned.
3. I will pick the card where the picture BEST represents the meaning of the vocabulary word
and hang it in the room to look at during the vocabulary quiz on Wednesdays.
Here's what you do!
A. ON THE FRONT:
1. Write the vocabulary term in big, easy-to-read letters and outline them so they will
show up well for the people in the last row
2. Illustrate the word's meaning - DO NOT use words/ dialogue to help
3. You may draw the picture, use clip art or get a picture from the Internet. Be sure
not to have any words or dialogue in the picture.
B. ON THE BACK
1. Write the definition(s) from the list given to you
2. Write the POS (Part of Speech) – given on the vocabulary list
3. Write the other forms of the word (for this one you may have to use the dictionary
book and not an on-line dictionary site). Example: vocab word is govern
forms of the word are: governor, governing, government, governmental, etc.
4. Write synonyms for the word not already listed in the definition
5. Write antonyms for the word (may have to use the Thesaurus)
6. Use the word in your own sentence. You may also include the sentence given by
the Dictionary.com site but you also need to make up your own sentence using the
word.
SAMPLE:
Front of Card
BARTER
Back of Card
Verb- To trade by exchange of
commodities rather than by
exchange of money
Noun – the act or practice of bartering
The item to be bartered
Forms: barter, bartering, bartered,
outbarter, unbartered, unbartering
Synonyms: trade, traffic, swap; haggle;
Exchange; interchange
Antonyms: agree to pay; pay money;
Buy
Sentence: In the olden days, people could not
pay with money so they bartered with animals
or vegetables to pay for good or services.