Unit 5 Tier 3

abut

(v.) to be next to something or to have one side touching the side of something

avarice

(n.) extreme desire for wealth; greed

buffoon

(n.) a person who does silly but amusing things

calumny

(n.) a false statement about someone made to damage his or her reputation

clamor

(n.) a loud and continuous noise

congregate

(v.) to come together in a group

defile

(v.) to damage or spoil something, especially something seen as special or sacred

delirious

(1) (adj.) in a disturbed mental state characterized by illusions and incoherent thought or speech; (2) (adj.) in a state of extreme excitement

dismal

(adj.) depressing; causing sadness; not skillful or successful; of very low quality

emanate

(v.) to come from a place or thing

expurgate

(v.) to cut out parts of a piece of writing because those parts could be offensive; to censor

extenuate

(v.) to lessen the seriousness of, especially by giving partial excuses

fractious

(adj.) bad-tempered or easily upset, especially by small things

heir

(1) (n.) a person who has the legal right to receive someone’s property, money, or title when that person dies; (2) (n.) a person who is thought to continue the work or a tradition started by someone else

inception

(n.) the start of an institution, an organization, etc.

intrepid

(adj.) without fear; brave

litigious

(adj.) too ready to take disagreements to court

moratorium

(n.) a temporary stopping of an activity, especially by official agreement

onerous

(adj.) needing great effort; causing trouble or worry

ovation

(n.) a very enthusiastic round of applause

philistine

(n.) a person who does not like or understand art, literature, music, etc.

prescient

(adj.) knowing or appearing to know about things before they happen

putrid

(adj.) decaying and smelling very unpleasant

remiss

(adj.) not giving something enough care and attention

salve

(1) (n.) a substance put on a wound or sore skin to help it heal or to protect it; (2) (v.) to soothe

slovenly

(adj.) careless, untidy, or dirty in appearance or habits

subterfuge

(n.) a secret, usually dishonest, way of behaving

tether

(v.) to fasten or restrict, tied or as if tied with a rope or chain

vagary

(n.) a strange or sudden change that is difficult to predict

wry

(1) (adj.) showing that one is both amused and disappointed or annoyed; (2) (adj.) amusing in a way that shows iro