VOCABULARY UNIT 4 LEVEL G

atrophy

(n) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v) to waste away

Syn: degeneration, deterioration; wither

bastion

(n) a fortified place, stronghold

Syn: citadel, rampart, parapet

concord

(n) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

ant: discord, strife, disagreement

consummate

(adj) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v) to bring to a state of completion or perfection

Syn: (adj) masterful; (V) clinch, conclude

disarray

(n) disorder, confusion; (v) to throw into disorder

Syn: (n) disorganization; (v) mess up, dishevel

exigency

(n) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

Syn: requirement, crisis

flotsam

(n) floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

Syn: floating wreckage

frenetic

(adj) frenzied, highly agitated

Syn: frantic, overwrought

glean

(v) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

Syn: cull, pick up

grouse

(n) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v) to grumble

Syn: kvetch, bellyache

incarcerate

(v) to imprison, confine, jail

Syn: intern

incumbent

(adj) obligatory, required; (n) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

Syn: mandatory, necessary

jocular

(adj) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

Syn: waggish, facetious, droll

ludicrous

(adj) ridiculous, laughable, absurd

Syn: risible, preposterous

mordant

(adj) biting or caustic in though, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

Syn: acrimonious, acidulous, sardonic, scathing

nettle

(n) a prickly or stinging plant; (v) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

Syn: peeve, annoy, incense, gall

pecuniary

(adj) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

Syn: monetary

pusillanimous

(adj) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

Syn: lily-livered

recumbent

(adj) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

Syn: prone, supine, inactive

stratagem

(n) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

Syn: trick, ploy, subterfuge

Re-

again, back

Sub-

under, less than

Super-

above, greater than

-scop-

watch, look out

-rupt-

break

-scrib-

write

-spec-

look, see