Vocabulary Words Test 2

apprehend

catch (criminal); mentally grasp

approbation

public approval

appropriate

take for your own use (often unfairly)

aquatic

living in or about water

arable

land suitable for crops

arbiter

neutral decision-maker

arbitrary

based on whim

arbitration

formal conflict resolution

arboreal

connected to trees

arcane

known only by experts

archaic

no longer in use

archetypal

classic

ardor

intense passion or drive

arid

lacking moisture

arrogate

claim without right

artifact

historical object made by humans

artisan

skilled manual creator

ascertain

figure out with effort

ascetic

rejecting pleasure for discipline

ascribe

link a cause to something

aspersion

attack on reputation

aspire

strongly aim for

assail

attack aggressively

assess

judge value or condition

assiduous

consistently hardworking

assuage

soothe distress

astute

sharply intelligent

asylum

safe refuge; mental facility

atone

make up for wrongdoing

atrophy

weaken from lack of use

attain

successfully reach a goal

attribute

credit; a characteristic

atypical

not fitting the norm

audacious

boldly daring (risky)

audible

loud enough to hear

augment

increase in size/amount

auspicious

signaling future success

austere

plain and severe

avarice

obsession with wealth

avenge

get revenge for harm

aversion

strong personal dislike

balk

refuse at the last moment

ballad

storytelling song

banal

lacking originality

bane

constant source of frustration

bard

poetic storyteller

bashful

shy around others

battery

energy source; violent attack

beguile

mislead using charm

behemoth

massive

benevolent

actively kind

benign

not harmful

bequeath

pass down after death

berate

angrily scold

bereft

completely lacking

beseech

urgently beg

bias

unfair leaning

bilk

cheat out of money

blandish

flatter for gain

blemish

visible defect

blight

something that ruins growth or hope

boisterous

noisy and energetic

bombastic

overly showy and arrogant

boon

something helpful

bourgeois

typical middle-class

brazen

shamelessly bold

brusque

abruptly rude

buffet

repeatedly hit; self-serve meal

burnish

polish until shiny

buttress

give structural support

cacophony

harsh mixture of sounds

cadence

patterned flow of sound

cajole

persuade with friendliness

calamity

large-scale disaster

calibrate

adjust with precision

callous

emotionally insensitive

calumny

harmful false statement

camaraderie

mutual trust in a group

candor

honest openness

canny

clever and strategic

canvas

painting fabric; thoroughly search

capacious

having lots of space

capitulate

give in completely

capricious

suddenly changing behavior

captivate

fully capture attention

carouse

celebrate loudly

carp

complain repeatedly

catalog

organized list

catalyze

trigger a reaction

caucus

strategy meeting

caustic

sharply critical

cavort

jump/play wildly

censure

express strong disapproval

cerebral

focused on thinking

chaos

total lack of order

chastise

punish or strongly criticize

cherish

deeply value

chide

mildly scold

choreography

planned dance movements

chronicle

record events over time