voab units9-15

adamant

(adj) firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible; (n) an extremely hard substance

brouhaha

(n) a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified

bulwark

(n) strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense; (v) to provide such defense or protection

choleric

(adj) easily made angry, bad-tempered

cloy

(v) to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things; to gut, satiate, surfeit

curtail

(v) to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce

deference

(n) courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; gerat respect marked by submission, as to a superior

definitive

(adj) conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done

demeanor

(n) the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearance, mien

enigmatic

(adj) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood

impromptu

(adj/adv) without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done; (n) an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation

mawkish

(adj) excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor

mollify

(v) to soften, make gentle, pacify; to calm, allay(as an emotion), assuage, appease, placate to reduce in intensity

onus

(n) something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma; blame

presentiment

(n) a vague sense of approaching misfortune

profligate

(adj) give over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; (n) a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending

remit

(v) to sent or hand in(as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer

requisite

(adj) needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable

sartorial

(adj) of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men's)

thwart

(v) to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate

amenable

(adj.) willing to follow advice or authority, tractable, submissive; responsive; liable to be held responsible

berate

(v.) to scold sharply

carnage

(n.) large-scale slaughter or loss of life

credulous

(adj.) too ready to believe, easily deceived

criterion

(n.) a rule, test; a standard for judgment or evaluation

deplete

(v.) to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly

expatiate

(v.) to expand on, write or talk at length or indetail; to move about freely

extraneous

(adj.) coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant

inception

(n.) the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process, institution, etc.

infirmity

(n.) a weakness or ailment (physical, mental, moral, etc.)

jejune

(adj.) lacking in nutritive value; lacking in interest or substance; immature, juvenile

obdurate

(adj.) stubborn, unyielding

potpourri

(n.) A collection of diverse or miscellaneous items; a general mixture; petals mixed with spices for scent

precocious

(adj.) showing unusually early development (especially in talents and mental capacity)

sadistic

(adj.) delighting in cruelty, excessively cruel

sententious

(adj.) self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maxims or adages; saying much n few words, pithy

supplicate

(v.) to beg earnestly and humbly

surfeit

(n.) an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking, causing disgust; (v.) to feed or supply with anything to excess

tortuous

(adj.) winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved, complex; devious

turgid

(adj.) swollen, bloated, filled ot excess; overdecorated or excessive in language

abet

(v.) to encourage, assist, aid, support (especially in something wrong or unworthy)

aver

(v.) to affirm, declare confidently

blatant

(adj.) noisy in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense

broach

(v.) to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject); to announce, introduce; to break the surface of the water; to pierce; (n.) a spit for roasting; a tool for tapping casks

buttress

(v.) to support, prop up, strengthen; (n.) a supporting structure

carousal

(n.) noisy revelry or merrymaking (often with a suggestion of heavy drinking)

collate

(v.) to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities, etc.; to arrange in order for some scientific purpose

connoisseur

(n.) an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts

disconsolate

(adj.) deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope, beyond consolation

encumber

(v.) to weigh down or burden (with difficulties, cares, debt, ect.); to fill up, block up, hinder (syn- overload, saddle, hamper, clog)

foment

(v.) to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm

grisly

(adj.) frightful, horrible, ghastly

herculean

(adj.) (capital H) relating to Hercules; (lowercare h) characterized by great strength; very hard to do in the sense of requiring unusal strength

impassive

(adj.) showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate; motionless

inauspicious

(adj.) unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future

incontrovertible

unquestionable, beyond dispute

nonplussed

(adj.) puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss (syn- perplexed, baffled, stumped, flabbergasted)

opportune

(adj.) suitable or convenient for a particular purpose; occuring at an appropriate time

prolific

(adj.) abundantly productive; abundant, profuse

rejoinder

(n.) a reply to a reply, especially from the defendent in a legal suit

absolve

(v.) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt

caricature

(n.) a cartoon, lampoon (v.) to present someone in a deliberately distorted way

clangor

(n.) a loud ringing sound (v.) to make a loud ringing noise

contiguous

(adj.) side by side, touching; near ; adjacent in time

cupidity

(n.) an eager desire for something; greed

deleterious

(adj.) harmful, injurious

enhance

(v.) to increase the value of desirability of

enthrall

(v.) to captivate, charm; to enslave; to imprison

extenuate

(v.) to lessen the seriousness of magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses

implicit

(adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; potentially contained in

incisive

(adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating, cutting

ostentatious

(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy

paragon

(n.) a model of excellence of perfection

paraphrase

(v.) to restate in other words (n.) a statement that presents a given idea in new language

politic

(adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful

prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; straightforward

redundant

(adj.) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive

sanctimonious

(adj.) making a show of virtue

scintillating

(adj.) sparking, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant

winsome

(adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing

accrue

(v.) to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result

annotation

(n.) a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work

bedlam

(n.) a state or scene of uproar and confusion

covert

(adj.) hidden, disguised, a purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded; (n.) a sheltered place, a hiding place

debonair

pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished in manner and appearance

dun

(v.) to demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt; (n.) a creditor; (adj.) dark, dull, drab, dingy

efficacious

(adj.) effective, producing results

equanimity

(n.) calmness, composure, refusal to panic

fortuitous

accidental, by chance

gist

(n.) the essential part, main point, or essence

gratuitous

(adj.) freely given, not called for by circumstances, unwarranted

imperious

(adj.) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling

invective

(n.) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj.) abusive, vituperative

motley

(adj.) showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors; (n.) a jester's costume; a jester

munificent

extremely generous, lavish

procrastinate

(v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off

provocative

(adj.) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating, annoying

recondite

exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding

reprobate

(n.) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel; (adj.) wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled; (v.) to disapprove of, condemn

sedentary

characterized by or calling for continued stitting; remaining in one place