Vocabulary Terms

Abate

To less in amount

Adulation

praise or flattery that is excessive

Avarice

a greedy desire, particularly for wealth

culpable

deserving blame, worthy of condemnation

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone

egregious

conspicuous, standing out from the mass

equivocate

to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous

evanescent

vanishing, soon passing away

Anathema

an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article)

Astute

shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

Irresolute

unable to make one’s mind

nebulous

cloud like, resembling a cloud

novice

one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience

penury

extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency

pretentious

done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one's skill or abilities, ambitious

recapitulate

to review a series of facts; to sum up

resuscitate

to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence

slovenly

untidy, dirty, careless

supposition

something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence

Torpid

inactive, sluggish, dull