APLANG vocab

congeal

harden, jell, solidify

To change from liquid to solid, make inflexible

emulate

copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

To imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

eschew

abstain from, steer clear of, forgo

To avoid, shun, keep away from

germane

pertinent

elevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

insatiable

unquenchable, ravenous

So great or demanding as not to be satisfied

invidious

malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

Offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

avid

keen, enthusiastic, grasping

desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

devious

roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

histrionic

affected, stagy

pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

myopic

shortsighted

nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation

talisman

an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical power

undulate

fluctuate, rise and fall

o move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

decry

denounce, censure, devalue

to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

dissemble

dissimulate, mask, feign

to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression

nefarious

iniquitous, reprehensible
wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

utopian

idealistic

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

unwonted

unusual, uncommon, unexpected, atypical

not usual or expected; not in character

verdant

artless, naive
reen tint in color; immature in experience or judgement

atrophy

degeneration, deterioration, wither

the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure

exigency

requirement, crisis

urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

glean

cull, pick up

to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

jocular

waggish, facetious, droll

Humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

mordant

acrimonious, acidulous, sardonic, scathing

biting or caustic in through, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

pecuniary

monetary

consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

depraved

perverted, degenerate, vicious, corrupt

marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

ignominy

humiliation, disrepute, odium

shame and disgrace

mundane

prosaic, humdrum, routine, sublunary

earthly, worldly

nuance

shade, nicety, refinement

a subtle or slight variation

penchant

proclivity, predilection

a strong attraction or inclination

ubiquitous

pervasive, universal

present or existing everywhere

abject

wretched, miserable, ignoble, sheer, utter

degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved

diatribe

vagrant; delinquent

someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; left abandoned; neglectful of duty

inane

idiotic, moronic, fatuous

silly, empty, meaning or value

intermittent

charge, accusation

the act of accusing; a formal accusation

motif

a principal idea, feature, theme, or element

travesty

burlesque, caricature, farce

a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise

allay

reduce, alleviate, moderate

to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

effrontery

felicitous

fortunate, well-put

appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

inordinate

exorbitant, extravagant

far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

indigent

penniless, poverty-stricken, destitute

needy, impoverished

misanthrope

people-hater

a person who hates or despises people

countermand

recall, revoke

to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

exacerbate

intensify, worsen

to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

juggernaut

a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

paucity

lack

an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

raze

pull down, demolish, shave off

o tear down, destroy completely

saturnine

morose

of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood