Vocabulary and Spelling 1.1 - 1.5

appease

verb - FORMAL DISAPPROVING - to prevent further disagreement in arguments or war by giving to the other side an advantage that they have demanded

askew

adverb - to one side; out of line; in a crooked position; awry:

beguile

verb - literary - to ​persuade, ​attract, or ​interest someone, sometimes in ​order to ​deceive them

bravado

noun - a show of ​courage, ​especially when ​unnecessary and ​dangerous, to make ​people ​admire you

condescend

verb - to agree to do something that you do not ​consider to be good enough for ​your ​social ​position:

daunt

verb - to make someone ​feel ​slightly ​frightened or ​worried about ​their ​ability to achieve something

despondent

adjective - unhappy and with no ​hope or ​enthusiasm

dithery

adjective - unable to make a ​decision about doing something

edifice

noun - formal - a ​large ​building, ​especially an ​impressive one

expedient

adjective - helpful or ​useful in a ​particular ​situation, but sometimes not ​morally ​acceptable

incendiary

adjective - likely to ​cause ​violence or ​strong ​feelings of ​anger

inclement

adjective - formal - unpleasant

protrude

verb - to ​stick out from or through something

punitive

adjective - formal or specialized law ​- intended as a ​punishment

quibble

verb - disapproving - to ​argue about, or say you ​disapprove of, something that is not ​important

requisite

adjective - necessary or ​needed for a ​particular ​purpose

spasmodic

adjective - happening ​suddenly for ​short ​periods of ​time and not in a ​regular way

subversive

adjective - seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution.

virtuoso

noun - a ​person who is ​extremely ​skilled at something, ​especially at ​playing an ​instrument or ​performing

yowl

verb -to make a ​long, high, ​unhappy ​cry, usually when ​hurt or ​fighting

facile

adjective - superficial

paradox

noun - a situation or statement that seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics:

buttress

verb - to make support for an idea or argument stronger by providing a good reason for it:

anaphylaxis

noun - an acute allergic reaction to an antigen (e.g., a bee sting) to which the body has become hypersensitive

saturnine

adjective - Literary - serious and unfriendly

proviso

noun - LAW a part of a legal document that states that something must happen or be done:

saunter

verb - to walk in a slow and relaxed way, often in no particular direction

recusant

noun - person who refuses to submit to an authority or to comply with a regulation

tensile

adjective - capable of being stretched (as a material)

divestiture

noun - Finance: the act of selling an asset, a business, or a part of a business

lambaste

verb - to criticize someone or severely

platonic

adjective - (of a relationship or emotion) affectionate but not sexual

scourge

noun - someone or something that causes harm, evil, or destruction

zymurgy

noun - the study or practice of fermentation in brewing, winemaking, or distillery

libertine

noun - FORMAL DISAPPROVING - a person, usually a man, who lives in a way that is not moral, having sexual relationships with many people

parapet

noun - a low wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, etc

obloquy

noun - strong public criticism or verbal abuse

quokka

noun - a small wallaby (= an animal with a long tail and strong legs for jumping with ) which in past existed in great umbers in Western Australia

contumacious

adjective - especially of a defendant's behavior stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority.

incendiary

adjective - likely to ​cause ​violence or ​strong ​feelings of ​anger

insouciance

noun - relaxed and calm state : a feeling of not worrying about anything

despondent

adjective - unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm:

preponderance

noun - the largest part or greatest amount:

implacable

adjective - formal used to describe (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings that are impossible to change:

demeanor

noun - a way of looking and behaving:

steppe

noun - a large area of land with grass but no trees, especially in eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia:

melancholy

noun - sadness that lasts for a long period of time, often without any obvious reason

puissance

noun - great power, influence, or prowess.

stratagem

noun - a carefully planned way of achieving or dealing with something, often involving a trick:

nuisance

noun - something or someone that annoys you or causes trouble for you:

nonchalant

adjective - relaxed and calm in a way that shows that you do not care or are not worried about anything

adamantine

adjective - characterized by extreme hardness or luster

faux pas

noun - an embarrassing social mistake; blunder

harbinger

noun - LITERARY- a person or thing that shows that something is going to happen soon, especially something bad

sans-culotte

noun - an extreme radical republican in France at the time of the French Revolution

tchotchke

noun - knickknack, trinket

nom de plume

noun - a name used by a writer instead of the writer's real name; pen name

miscreant

noun - FORMAL- someone who behaves badly or does not obey rules

largesse

noun - the fact of giving away money in a generous way

daiquiri

noun - an alcoholic drink that is usually made of rum, crushed fruit or fruit juice, and sugar

muster

verb - to produce or encourage something such as an emotion or support:

bucolic

adjective - relating to the countryside

cobbler

noun - a person who repairs shoes

clandestine

adjective - planned or done in secret, especially describing something that is not officially allowed:

canine

adjective - of or relating to dogs:

obsession

noun - something or someone that you think about all the time:

philosophy

noun - the use of reason in understanding such things as the nature of the real world and existence, the use and limits of knowledge, and the principles of moral judgment:

weary

adjective - very tired or lacking energy and enthusiasm:

geriatric

adjective - caring for the old people

gavel

noun - a small hammer that an official in charge of a meeting hits against a wooden block or table to get people to be quiet and listen

intimidated

adjective - frightened or nervous because you are not confident in a situation:

belligerent

adjective - eager to fight or argue:

apprehensive

adjective - feeling anxiety about the future; fearing that something unpleasant will happen

obstinate

adjective - used to describe a problem, situation, or thing that is difficult to deal with, remove, change, or defeat:

behemoth

noun - something that is extremely large and often extremely powerful:

receptive

adjective - willing to listen to and accept new ideas and suggestions:

putrid

adjective - decayed and having an unpleasant smell:

diminutive

adjective - very small

savory

adjective - pleasing to the sense of taste or smell especially by reason of effective seasoning

benevolent

adjective - kind and helpful:

condole

verb [I or T] - to show sympathy and sadness for the family or friends of a person who has recently died:

befuddled

adjective - confused:

upercilious

adjective - behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important

tedium

noun - the quality of being boring for a long time:

obdurate

adjective - FORMAL DISAPPROVING: extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite what anyone else says

sanguine

adjective - of someone or someone's character) positive and hoping for good things:

virulent

adjective - (of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects:

inebriated

adjective - having drunk too much alcohol:

resplendent

adjective - having a very bright or beautiful appearance:

indolence

noun avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness:

bedlam

noun - a noisy situation with no order

multifarious

adjective - of many different types

abasement

noun - the action or fact of abasing or being abased; humiliation or degradation:

commandeer

transitive verb - to take possession of or control private property by force or for military use:

lummox

noun - a stupid or awkward person:

odious

adjective - FORMAL: extremely unpleasant and causing or deserving hate:

epitomize

transitive verb to be a perfect example of a quality or type of thing

diurnal

adjective - happening over a period of a day, or being active or happening during the day rather than at night

unprecedented

adjective - never having happened or existed in the past:

polemical

adjective - of or involving strongly critical or disputatious writing or speech: