Sadlier Units 1-12 GRIND

acquisitive

adj. able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

arrogate

v. to claim without right

banal

adj. commonplace, lacking originality or freshness.

belabor

v. to work on excessively, to thrash

carping

adj. tending to find fault, petty, nagging, n. petty, nagging criticism

coherent

adj. holding or sticking together; making a logical whole

congeal

v. to change from liquid to solid, to make inflexible or rigid

emulate

v. to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

encomium

n. to make a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

eschew

v. to avoid, shun, keep away from

germane

adj. relevant, appropriate

insatiable

adj. so great/demanding

intransigent

adj. refusing to compromise

invidious

adj. offensive, hateful, tending to cause bitterness or resentment

largesse

n. generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

reconnaissance

n. a survey made for military purposes specifically to gather information about an enemy's position and strength.

substantiate

v. to establish by evidence or prove the truth of something.

taciturn

adj. habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

temporize

v. to stall or act evasively in order to gain time or postpone a decision. to compromise

tenable

adj. capable of being held or defended

accost

v. to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging way

animadversion

n. a comment indicating strong disapproval; a critical remark.

avid

adj. enthusiastic or passionate; having a keen interest in something.

brackish

adj. having a slightly salty taste or flavor, typically a mix of fresh and seawater.

celerity

n. swiftness of movement or action; speed.

devious

adj. showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals; not direct.

gambit

n. a device, action, or opening remark typically used to gain an advantage in a situation, especially in chess or strategic discussions.

halcyon

adj. denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful; calm and tranquil.

histrionic

adj. overly dramatic or emotional; theatrical in behavior.

incendiary

adj. designed to cause fires or stir up conflict; explosive in nature.

maelstrom

n. a whirlpool of great size and violence, a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

myopic

adj. nearsighted, lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation, lacking foresight or determination

overt

adj. open, not hidden

pejorative

adj. tending to make worse expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, belittling

propriety

n. the state of being proper, appropriateness pl. standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

sacrilege

n. improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

summarily

adv. without delay or formality, briefly, concisely

suppliant

adj. asking humbly and earnestly n. one who makes a request humbly, a petitioner, suitor

talisman

n. an object that serves as a charm or si believed to contain magical powers

undulate

v. to move in waves or with a wavelike motion

cavort

v. to romp or prance around, to make merry

(give) credence

n. belief, mental acceptance

decry

v. to condemn, express strong disapproval

dissemble

v. to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression to

distraught

adj. very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

eulogy

n. a formal statement of commendation, high praise

evince

v. to display clearly, make evident, provoke

exhume

v. to remove from the grave, bring to light

feckless

adj. lacking in spirit and strength, ineffective, weak, irresponsible, unreliable

murky

adj. dark and gloomy, obscure, lacking in clarity and precision

nefarious

adj. wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

piquant

adj. stimulating to the taste or mind, spicy, pungent, appealingly provocative

primordial

adj. developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

priopinquiety

n. nearness in time or place, kinship

substantive

adj. real, having a solid basis; considerable in number or amount; meaningful and on topic

unwonted

adj. not usual or expected, not in character

utopian

adj. founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world, impractical

verbiage

n. a language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness, a manner of expression

verdant

adj. green in tint or color, immature in experience or judgment

viscous

adj. having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity

atrophy

n. the wasting away of body organ or tissue, any progressive decline, v. to waste away

bastion

n. a fortified place, stronghold

concord

n. a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity, a treaty, pact, covenant

consummate

adj. complete or perfect in the highest degree v. to bring to a state of completion or perfection

disarray

n. disorder, confusion v. to throw into disorder

exigency

n. urgency, pressure, urgent demand, pressing need, emergency

flotsam

n. floating debris, unimportant or discarded material

frenetic

adj. frenzied, highly agitated

glean

v. to gather bit by bit, to gather small qualities of grain left in a field by the reapers

grouse

n. a type of game bird, a complaint, v. to complain

incarcerate

v. to imprison, confine, jail

incumbent

adj. obligatory, required, n. one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

jocular

adj. humorous, jesting, jolly

ludicrous

adj. ridiculous, laughable, absurd

mordant

ad. bitting or causitic in thought or manner, sharp;y or bitterly harsh

nettle

n. a prickly or stinging plant, v. to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

pecuniary

adj. consisting of or measured in money of or related to money

pusillanimous

adj. comtemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

recumbent

adj. in a reclining position

stratagem

n. a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

acuity

delineate

v. to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail

depraved

adj. marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

enervate

v. to weaken or lesson the mental, moral, or physical rigor of

esoteric

adj. intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

fecund

adj. fruitful in offspring or vegetation, intellectually productive

fiat

n. an arbitrary order or decree, a command or act of will or consciousness

figment

n. a fabrication of the mind, an arbitrary notion

garner

v. to acquire as the result of effort, to gather and store away, as for future use

hallow

v. to set apart as holy or scared, sancitify, consecrate, to honor

idiosyncrasy

n. a peculiarity that serves to distinguish identity

ignominy

n. shame and disgrace

mundane

adj. earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary

nuance

n. a subtle or slight variation, delicate gradation or shade of difference

overweening

adj. conceited, presumptuous, excessive, immoderate

penchant

n. a strong attraction or inclination

reputed

adj. according to reputation or general belief, having widespread

sophistry

n. reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound, a fallacy

sumptuous

adj. costly, rich, magnificent

ubiquitous

adj. present or existing everywhere