English Vocab

abstract

theoretical; not concrete

Ostracize

To exclude someone from a group

Sadistic

Deriving pleasure from someone else's pain

acquiesce

assent; agree passively

banal

Common in a boring way

bastion

fortress; defense

behoove

be suited to

beleaguer

besiege

belie

contradict; give false impression

cajole

coax; wheedle

candor

frankness

capricious:

fickle; incalculable

careen

lurch; sway from side to side

carnage

destruction of life

daunt

intimidate

debilitate

weaken

decadence

moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure and luxury

decapitate

behead

decorous

proper

eccentric

odd; whimsical; irregular

eclectic

selective in choosing from a variety of sources

edify

instruct; correct morally

effervescent

exuberant; bubbly and excited

effigy

mannequin fashioned in the recognizable image of someone

fallacious

misleading

fanaticism

excessive zeal

fastidious

difficult to please; squeamish

fathom

comprehend; investigate

fauna

animals of a period or region

accolade

award of merit

flout

reject; mock

fluke

unlikely occurrence

forbearance

patience

fortitude

bravery; courage

frivolity

lack of seriousness

galvanize

stimulate by shock; stir up

gambol

skip; leap playfully

garbled

mixed up; based on false or unfair selection

garish

gaudy; tacky

garner

gather; store up

suave

charming, confident, and elegant

haggard

wasted away; gaunt

haggle

argue about prices

hamper

obstruct

conceited

excessively proud of oneself; vain:

ideology

ideas of a group of people

idiom

special usage in language

idiosyncrasy

peculiarity; eccentricity

idolatry

worship of idols; excessive admiration

idyllic

charmingly carefree; simple

jaded

fatigued; surfeited

jargon

language used by a special group; gibberish

jaundiced

yellowed; prejudiced; envious

jaunt

trip; short journey

jaunty

stylish; perky; carefree

kindle

start a fire; inspire

kindred

related; belonging to the same family

kinetic

producing motion

kismet

fate

kith

familiar friends

lament

grieve; express sorrow

lampoon

ridicule

languish

lose strength and pine away

laud

praise

legacy

gift made by a will

magnanimous

generous

marred

damaged; disfigured

marshal

put in order

meander

to wind or turn in its course

nauseate

cause to become sick; fill with disgust

nebulous

vague; hazy; cloudy

nefarious

very wicked

negation

denial

nemesis

arch enemy

obliterate

destroy completely

obstinate

stubborn

oblivion

forgetfulness

meager

scanty; inadequate

odious

hateful

ominous

threatening

parody

humorous imitation

paroxysm

fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage

parsimonious

stingy, excessively frugal

partisan

one sided; prejudiced; committed to a party

perfunctory

superficial; not thorough

qualified

limited; restricted

quandary

dilemma

queasy

easily nauseated; squeamish

quell

put down; quiet

quibble

equivocate; play on words