vocab 1-3 English p8

abate (verb)

to weaken or become less intense, usually something negative like bad weather or feelings

aberration (noun)

a sudden change or shift, usually strange or unwelcome

abject (adjective)

extremely bad or severe; hopeless

absolution (noun)

formal forgiveness of a sin or mistake

affinity (noun)

a fondness or liking of something

acrimony (noun)

deep anger or bitterness

aggrandize (verb)

to make a person or thing bigger, more important, or more powerful

ameliorate (verb)

to make a bad or difficult situation better or more tolerable

amorphous (adjective)

shapeless or having no structure; can describe something physical or abstract

anomaly (noun)

a thing that is unusual and does not fit into normal patterns

antiquated (adjective)

old and outdated; no longer useful for modern times

arcane (adjective)

secret; known only by a few people

aspersion (noun)

a false, damaging, critical remark meant to hurt someone

aspire (verb)

to aim for a goal; to work toward or dream about achieving something

avarice (noun)

greed; an uncontrollable desire to achieve and keep wealth

balk (verb)

to stop and refuse to do something; in baseball, to fake a throw to a base

banal (adjective)

boring or ordinary; unoriginal

bane (noun)

trouble that will not go away; a continuing source of misery

blight (noun)

a severe problem that ruins something; a disease affecting plants

brazen (adjective)

shameless and bold; done openly without shame

cajole (verb)

to convince someone to do something using flattery or sweet talk

caveat (noun)

a warning or condition that limits the extent of a broader statement

cerebral (adjective)

related to the brain; also describing logical rather than emotional thinking

chide (verb)

to scold or criticize, usually in a gentle way

clandestine (adjective)

done privately or in secret, usually because it involves wrongdoing

cogent (adjective)

clear, logical, and convincing

cognizant (adjective)

aware; having knowledge of something

compunction (noun)

an uneasy feeling of guilt, before or after doing something bad; remorse

copious (adjective)

large in quantity; plentiful

covet (verb)

to want, with jealousy, what someone else has; to feel an envious craving