SAT Vocab 375-500

unkempt

sloppy; messy; unclean

headstrong

determined to have one's own way; stubbornly willful

euphony

pleasing sound, esp. of words

vortex

a flow of fluid around an axis, like a whirlpool

aviary

a large enclosure for keeping birds

incipient

beginning to appear or be noticed

medley

a mixture; an arrangement of songs performed together

amenity

pleasantness; something increasing comfort

acrid

harsh; sarcastic; bitter to the taste

infatuated

experiencing an unreasonable passion or attraction

parched

very thirsty; dried up because of the heat

affluence

wealth

spat

a small argument or dispute

reminisce

to recall the past, esp. fondly

keen

having a sharp edge; perceptive

verbatim

word for word

pompous

characterized by excessive self-importance or exaggerated dignity

pithy

relating to the central part of something; economically phrased

methodical

done in an orderly, systematic way

obfuscate

to make difficult to understand; to make indistinct

desist

to cease; stop

penchant

a strong liking

fastidious

showing or acting with careful attention to detail; not easy to please; very critical or discriminating

malaise

a vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness

sporadic

occurring irregularly

concave

hollowed out; curved inward

condescend

to lower oneself to a less formal or less dignified level

enigma

something that is puzzling, ambiguous, mysterious, or inexplicable; a perplexing puzzle

plight

sad situation

impasse

a dead-end

ostensible

outwardly appearing as such

sluggish

lazy; lacking energy

bland

having a moderate, undisturbed quality

hovel

a small, miserable dwelling

compel

to cause to occur by pressure; to force

artisan

a worker trained or skilled in some manual trade

impeccable

flawless

surmount

to overcome (e.g., an obstacle); to climb to the top of

pastoral

relating to country life, esp. of shepherds; rustic

superfluous

unnecessary; extra

avert

to turn away

mandate

a command; an order

proscribe

to prohibit or forbid; to denounce

consanguinity

blood relationship

prone

tending or likely to do something; lying face down

credible

capable of being believed

complicity

involvement as an accomplice in a crime or wrongful act

kudos

glory; fame

fruitless

without results; unprofitable

paucity

smallness of number; scarcity

sycophant

one who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence

tractable

easily managed or controlled

holistic

dealing with something as a whole rather than by its individual parts

verdant

green

promulgate

to make known by official announcement

skeptical

tending to question or doubt

forte

something at which a person excels

harbinger

someone or something that indicates what is to come

annul

to make void or invalid

adversity

misfortune; trouble

castigate

to criticize severely, esp. in public

oratory

public speaking, esp. marked by pompous rhetoric

conduit

a channel for conducting fluids; a means by which something is transmitted

bolster

to support or strengthen

wont

accustomed

recur

to repeat; to occur again

brook

to tolerate

consecrate

to make or set apart as sacred

espouse

to give loyalty or support to; to adopt

dispose

to give a tendency or inclination to

modicum

a small quantity

composed

calm and self-possessed

edifice

a building; architectural monument

reserved

self-restrained and withdrawn in speech and manner

translucent

letting light through, but no visual details

endeavor

a serious attempt or effort

glib

easy and fluent in conversation or writing, often suggesting insincerity or deceitfulness

subtle

not immediately obvious; hard to understand

scurry

to move with light running steps

rabble

a noisy crowd; the lowest, coarsest class of people

tenuous

weak; thin

glutton

one who eats too much

frenetic

wildly excited or active

forthright

direct and without evasion; honest

nominal

appearing in name only; negligible or of low amount

savant

a well-educated person; a scholar

coerce

to force by threat or intimidation

prescient

knowing things before they occur

concise

brief and to the point

opaque

not letting in light; unintelligible

excise

to remove by or as if by cutting

dossier

group of documents

culminate

to reach the highest point

allot

to distribute; to assign as a portion

conundrum

a riddle or puzzle, esp. one without a solution

bevy

a group, esp. of birds

frowzy

having an uncared-for appearance

diminution

a decrease or diminishing

aplomb

self-assurance; self-confidence; poise

cower

to draw back out of fear