Vocabulary for Achievement - Fifth Course: Lessons 16-30

Arbitration

The process in which parties involved in a dispute allow an impartial party to settle their differences

Attaché

A person assigned to serve in a specific capacity on a diplomatic mission

Consul

A diplomatic official who represents their own government's economic interests in a foreign country and assists citizens living or traveling there

Covenant

A binding agreement; a legal contract

Discretion

a. The quality of using good judgment and self-restraint; b. The ability or power to decide responsibly

Entente

An understanding or agreement between political powers for a common course of action or policy

Insular

a. Suggestive of the isolated life on an island; b. Having a narrow viewpoint

Machiavellian

Cunning, deceitful, and underhanded in business or politics; maintaining power by any means

Protocol

A code of correct conduct

Status quo

The existing condition or state of affairs

Culminate

a. To reach the highest point; b. To come to completion; to end

Eclipse

a. To exceed or go beyond; b. To obscure or darken

Epitome

A perfect example; a typical representation of a type

Impeccable

Having no flaws; perfect

Inimitable

Impossible to imitate or copy; unique

Optimum

a. Most favorable or advantageous; best; b. The point at which something is most favorable

Peerless

Without equal; incomparable

Quintessence

The purest essence of something; the most typical example

Sublime

a. Impressive; awe inspiring; supreme; b. Something awe inspiring

Zenith

The peak; the highest point

Affront

a. To insult intentionally and openly; b. An intentional insult

Altercation

A noisy or intense quarrel

Bellicose

Warlike in manner or temperament; aggressive

Breach

a. A break in friendly relations; b. A violation; c. To violate

Contentious

a. Argumentative; b. Likely to cause argument

Decimate

To destroy or kill a large part of a group

Dissension

Disagreement or discord

Rancor

Bitter, long-lasting resentment

Retribution

a. Something justly deserved; b. Repayment, especially as punishment or revenge

Schism

A division between opposing groups

Apocryphal

a. Of questionable origin or authenticity; b. False or erroneous

Bona fide

a. Authentic; genuine; b. Done in good faith; sincere

Candor

Honesty, frankness, openness

Cant

a. Hypocritically moralistic language; b. Monotonous speech; c. Jargon of a group

Charlatan

A fraud; someone who falsely claims special knowledge

Chicanery

Deception by trickery

Feign

To pretend or fake

Insidious

a. Harmful in a subtle or stealthy way; b. Alluring but secretly harmful

Rectitude

Moral uprightness; righteousness

Veritable

Real or genuine

Accrue

To accumulate or grow over time

Arbiter

a. A judge or decision-maker; b. Someone with power to decide

Audit

a. To verify financial accounts; b. A review of records

Cartel

A group of businesses that collude to control production or pricing

Collateral

a. Property pledged for a loan; b. Supporting or secondary

Commodity

a. An item for trade; b. Something useful or valuable

Conglomerate

a. A large corporation with diverse businesses; b. To gather into a whole

Liquidate

a. To settle a debt by selling assets; b. To convert assets to cash

Lucrative

Profitable; producing wealth

Security

a. A financial document like a stock; b. Something pledged as assurance

Adulterate

To make impure by adding inferior substances

Bane

a. A cause of ruin or death; b. A source of frustration

Boon

A blessing, especially timely

Inimical

a. Harmful; b. Hostile

Malevolent

a. Wishing harm on others; b. Evil or harmful in effect

Panacea

A universal remedy

Pernicious

Highly destructive or harmful

Salutary

a. Helpful or remedial; b.

Toxic

Poisonous

Vitiate

To impair or spoil

Auspices

Support or sponsorship

Auspicious

Favorable; indicating success

Circumspect

Cautious; mindful of consequences

Despicable

Deserving scorn or contempt

Introspective

Reflective; examining one's own thoughts

Perspicuous

Clearly expressed; easy to understand

Specious

Appearing true but actually false

Spectacle

A visually impressive show or display

Specter

A ghost or haunting presence

Spectrum

A range of colors, ideas, or conditions

Complicity

Involvement in wrongdoing

Deploy

To position or put into use

Explicate

To explain clearly

Explicit

Clearly and fully expressed

Implicate

To involve in wrongdoing

Implicit

Implied but not stated

Inexplicable

Hard or impossible to explain

Replica

An exact copy or reproduction

Supple

Flexible; limber

Supplicant

One who begs or asks humbly

Adjudicate

To judge or resolve a legal matter

Affidavit

A written statement made under oath

Confidant

Someone entrusted with secrets

Conjure

To summon as if by magic

Fealty

Loyalty or allegiance

Fiancé

An engaged man

Fidelity

Loyalty or faithfulness

Infidel

A nonbeliever in a particular religion

Jurisprudence

The philosophy or science of law

Perjure

To lie under oath

Ambivalence

Conflicting feelings or uncertainty

Avail

a. To be of use; b. Use or benefit

Countervailing

Acting to offset or counterbalance

Evaluate

To judge or determine the value

Evince

To show clearly

Invaluable

Priceless; of immeasurable worth

Prevail

a. To triumph; b. To be widespread; c. To persuade

Valedictorian

Student with the highest academic rank

Valiant

Brave; courageous

Vanquish

To defeat or conquer