vocab words 125-250

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Deference

yielding an opinion, desire, or position to another out of respect

Salient

important, prominent, most noticeable

Unseemly

not decent or proper

Remorse

sadness or regret for what one has done

Mercenary

greedy; motivated by desire for money

Fetid

having a bad odor

Drab

dull or dreary; monotonous

Prodigal

Exceedingly or recklessly wasteful

Patronize

to sponsor or support; to be kind or helpful in a snobbish way, as if dealing with an inferior

Plausible

appearing worthy of belief or trust

Allure

the power to attract with something desireable

Lenient

inclined not to be strict

Pertinent

relevant

Serene

calm and peaceful

Indubitable

certain, indisputable

Inaugurate

to formally bring into office at the beginning of a term

Covert

concealed or disguised; not openly practiced

Solace

comfort in a time of distress

Insidious

subtly harmful; stealthy, sneaky

Atrophy

wasting away, esp. of body tissue

Altercation

a heated or noisy argument

Foment

to stir up negative feelings, esp. those that lead to violent action

Purloin

to steal, oft. in violation of a trust

Caesura

a break or pause

Acquiesce

to agree without protest

Conscientious

showing care and precision; painstaking

Crass

dull-witted; unrefined

Impart

to give a portion of; to make known

Spendthrift

one who spends money wastefully

Tabulate

to count

Adroit

naturally skillful, esp. dealing with difficult circumstances

Dexterous

skillful with the hands or mind

Redolent

aromatic; fragrant; suggestive

Foreboding

a sense of impending evil, esp. one without definite cause

Denouement

conclusion; resolution; the falling action of a story

Subsidy

monetary assistance

Prevalent

widespread; dominant

Incumbent

necessary or obligatory

Mimic

to copy closely, esp. with intent to ridicule

Beacon

a signaling light; a source of guidance or inspiration

Supplant

to take the place of

Scythe

a long handled, bladed instrument used for harvesting crops

Shard

a fragment of a brittle substance, e.g. glass or pottery; a small piece of something

Wayward

stubbornly going against what is expected or required in order to satisfy one’s own desires

Effrontery

bold and insulting behavior

Vagary

an erratic notion or action

Agile

quick and easy in movement; mentally aler

Glut

an. oversupply

Cursory

superficially done; performed rapidly

Spurn

to push or drive away contemptuously with or as with the foot

Comply

to yield or act in accordance with requests, conditions, etc

Peccadillo

a minor sin

Incendiary

Causing or capable of causing fire; stirring up trouble

Impunity

exemption from punishment or harm

Proficient

very skillful, esp. through training

Precede

to go before

Benefactor

one who helps and supports others

Flout

to intentionally and obviously disobey

Erode

to wear away slowly

Spate

a large number or amount of something, esp. in a brief time

Imbue

to inspire; to permeate; to fill with a mood or tone

Credulous

tending to believe too easily

Bravura

a showy display

Omniscient

all-knowing

UNtenable

indefensible, or impossible to maintain

Veneer

an attractive, ultimately misleading outward show; thin layer

Legible

capable of being read or deciphered

Recount

to tell in detail

Prevaricate

to speak or write evasively in order to avoid telling the truth

Sedentary

sitting down most of the time

Veracious

honest; truthful

Venerate

to look upon with respect and honor

Raconteur

one who tells stories with skill

Leaning

a preference or inclination

Premature

happening, done, arriving, or existing before the proper time

Vicarious

felt as if one were taking part in the experiences of another

Pique

to arouse, to irritate

Abate

to lessen in amount, intensity or strength

Maternal

characteristic of a mother

Decorum

polite behavior

Pretentious

claiming dignity or importance, esp. when undeserved

Unwieldy

hard to handle or manage, esp. because of size or weight

Homely

unattractive, plain looking

Impromptu

without preperation

Visceral

instinctive; relating to the internal organs

Staccato

composed of abrupt, disconnected parts or sounds

Rue

to regret

Meritocracy

a system in which promotion is based on individual ability or achievement

Inveigle

to obtain by flattery

Behoove

necessary or proper for

Austere

stern or severe in appearance, without luxury

Inert

unable to move or respond; sluggish

Mnemonic

pertaining to or assisting the memory

Censor

to prevent from becoming known or circumlated

Imposing

impressive by virtue of size, power, or manner

Hectic

characterized by intense activity

Sully

to dirty or tarnish

Insipid

uninteresting; having no flavor

Anachronism

something not belonging to a certain time period

Malady

a disease, illness; sickness