Unit 2, Tier 3

abode (n.)

the place where someone lives

anathema (n.)

a deeply hated person or thing

attune (v.)

to bring into harmony

bravado (n.)

a confident way of behaving that is intended to impress people, sometimes as a way of hiding a lack of confidence

bucolic (adj.)

connected with the countryside or country life

chimera (adj.)

an illusion or fabrication of the mind

confluence (n.) (2 def.)

(1) the place where two rivers flow together and become one (2) the fact of two or more things becoming one

curmudgeon (n.)

an ill-tempered person

declaim (v.)

to say something loudly or with force, especially in public

disenchant (v.)

to free from a false belief

eject (v.)

to push someone or something out, often suddenly and with great force

exigent (adj.)

requiring immediate action

exposition (n.)

a full explanation of a theory, plan, etc.

forlorn (adj.) (2 def.)

(1) appearing lonely and unhappy (2) not cared for and with no people in it

hearsay (n.)

things that have been heard from another person but that are not (definitely) known to be true

inaugurate (v.) (2 def.)

(1) to introduce a new public official, start an organization, etc., with a special ceremony (2) to introduce a new development or an important change

interlude (n.)

a period of time between two events during which something different happens

lexicon (n.)

all the words and phrases used in a particular language or subject; all the words and phrases used and known by a particular person or group of people

muddle (v.) (2 def.)

(1) to put things in the wrong order or mix them up (2) to confuse someone

ossify (v.)

to become or make something fixed and unable to change

peruse (v.)

to read something, especially carefully

prelude (n.) (2 def.)

(1) a short piece of music, especially an introduction to a longer piece (2) an action or event that happens before another more important one and forms an introduction to it

pugnacious (adj.)

having a strong desire to argue or fight with other people

refrain (v.)

to stop oneself from doing something, especially something pleasurable

salient (adj.)

most important or noticeable

skulk (v.)

to hide or move around secretly, especially when planning something bad

suave (adj.)

confident, elegant and polite, sometimes in a way that does not seem sincere

torpid (adj.)

not active; with no energy or enthusiasm

unsung (adj.)

not praised or famous but deserving to be

winnow (v.)

to separate, for example chaff from grain or good from bad; to sift