vocab 3

insipid

(adj.) dull; flat; without sparkle or flavor

insolent

(adj.) rude; haughty

insolvent

(adj.) unable to pay bills; bankrupt

intermittent

(adj.) occurring at intervals; periodic; not constant or continual

intractable

(adj.) stubborn; immovable

intrinsic

(adj.) located within the very nature of an object or person; inherent

invert

(v.) turn upside down or inside out; reverse position

irascible

(adj.) easily angered

irony

(n.) an unexpected outcome, or the use of a word that is the opposite of its literal meaning

irresolute

(adj.) indecisive; unsure

irreverent

(adj.) disrespectful

jargon

(n.) specialized language used by a particular group

jaundice

(n.) yellow color; or, envy or resentment

jaunty

(adj.) lively; perky

jeopardy

(n.) the threat or possibility of danger

jettison

(v.) to throw overboard; to discard

jocular

(adj.) joking; playful; jesting; witty

jubilant

(adj.) filled with joy

judicious

(adj.) wise; making good decisions

juncture

(n.) point in time, especially a crucial one; joint or connection

juxtapose

(v.) to place side-by-side

kindle

(v.) to start a fire; ignite; arouse

kinetic

(adj.) in motion; active

laconic

(adj.) quiet; of few words; terse

lament

(v.) express sorrow; complain

languish

(v.) lose energy or motivation; become weak or depressed

latent

(adj.) existing but inactive, such as a certain quality; dormant; invisible

laud

(v.) praise; worship; extol

legacy

(n.) something inherited, either from an ancestor or from the past itself

lethargic

(adj.) tired; sluggish; drowsy

levity

(n.) lightness; playfulness; jocularity

lionize

(v.) to put someone onto a pedestal; to treat with great respect

listless

(adj.) tired; sluggish; lacking drive

loath

(adj.) reluctant; unwilling

loathe

(v.) to hate

lofty

(adj.) at a great height; elevated; noble

loquacious

(adj.) talkative

lucid

(adj.) easy to understand; transparent; clear-thinking

ludicrous

(adj.) absurd; ridiculous

lugubrious

(adj.) mournful

magnanimous

(adj.) big-hearted; generous; forgiving; noble

magnate

(n.) a person of great power

malediction

(n.) evil speech; curse

malefactor

(n.) person who tries to hurt others; criminal

malice

(n.) a desire to cause harm or suffering

malign

(v.) to say evil or harmful things about someone; defame; vilify

malleable

(adj.) able to be reshaped by force; pliable; impressionable

marred

(adj.) spoiled, scratched, blemished

meager

(adj.) small in size or amount; thin; weak

meander

(v.) wander in a carefree manner; follow a winding course; ramble

mellifluous

(adj.) smooth; sweetly flowing

mendacity

(n.) a lie; a false statement

meticulous

(adj.) very careful about details

minute

(adj.) very small in size

misconstrue

(v.) misunderstand; interpret incorrectly

mitigate

(v.) make less severe; mollify

mollify

(v.) lessen anger; soothe; placate

monologue

(n.) a long, uninterrupted speech

morose

(adj.) depressed

mundane

(adj.) ordinary; earthly (not spiritual); practical; temporary

myriad

(adj.) large number; many

nefarious

(adj.) extremely evil

negligent

(adj.) careless and possibly causing harm; neglectful

neophyte

(n.) beginner

nocturnal

(adj.) active at night

nostalgic

(adj.) wishing for a return to the way things used to be; longing for the past; homesick

novelty

(n.) something new or unusual

nuance

(n.) slight degree; shade of difference

nullify

(v.) remove or cancel all value or force; negate

nurture

(v.) provide care and support; nourish; train or educate

obdurate

(adj.) stubborn; unyielding

objurgate

(v.) scold; castigate

obliterate

(v.) remove or destroy completely; erase

obscure

(adj.) hazy; unfamiliar; difficult to understand

obsequious

(adj.) behaving like a meek, spineless servant; subservient; sycophantic

obstinate

(adj.) stubborn; refusing to be persuaded

obsolete

(adj.) no longer usable; outdated

obtuse

(adj.) dull; blunt; unintelligent; lacking sharpness

obviate

(v.) eliminate the need for something; make unnecessary

ominous

(adj.) a sign of something unpleasant that's about to happen; inauspicious

onerous

(adj.) burdensome; oppressive

opaque

(adj.) too dark or thick for light to pass through

opportunist

(n.) someone who takes advantage of the situation

optimist

(n.) someone who always believes things will turn out okay

opulence

(n.) luxury; wealth; riches

pacifist

(n.) person who refuses to fight

paltry

(adj.) worthless; insignificant, petty

paragon

(n.) model of excellence; the best

parity

(n.) equality or equivalence; balance among a group of rivals

parsimony

(n.) stinginess; excessive frugality

partisan

(adj.) blindly devoted to a cause or organization

paucity

(n.) too few; scarcity

pecuniary

(adj.) having to do with money; financial

penchant

(n.) a strong liking; attraction

penury

(n.) extreme poverty; destitution

perfunctory

(adj.) without enthusiasm or thoroughness; routine

pernicious

(adj.) destructive

perspicacity

(n.) mental sharpness; keen insight; shrewdness

peruse

(v.) read carefully; study in detail

pervade

(v.) to spread to every part