Vocab Units 1-7

arrogate

to claim or take without right

banal

hackneyed, trite, commonplace

coherent

holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

emulate

to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

encomium

a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

germane

relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

intransigent

refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

reconnaissance

a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

substantiate

to establish by evidence, prove; t ogive concrete or substantial form to

temporize

to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise

acquisitive

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

belabor

to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

carping

tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way

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petty, nagging criticism

congeal

to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

eschew

to avoid, shun, keep away from

insatiable

so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

invidious

offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

largesse

generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

taciturn

habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

tenable

capable of being held or defended

accost

to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

brackish

having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

celerity

swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

halcyon

a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher

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of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

incendiary

deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion

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one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

maelstrom

a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

overt

open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

pejorative

tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, belittling

suppliant

asking humbly and earnestly

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one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

undulate

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

animadversion

a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

avid

desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

devious

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

gambit

in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

histrionic

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

myopic

nearsighted, lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

propriety

the state of being proper, appropriateness; standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

sacrilege

improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

summarily

without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

talisman

an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

credence

belief, mental acceptance

dissemble

to disguise or conceal, deliberately, give a false impression

evince

to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

feckless

lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

nefarious

wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

primordial

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

propinquity

nearness in place or time; kinship

substantive

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

unwonted

not usual or expected; not in character

viscous

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

cavort

to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

decry

to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

verdant

green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment

distraught

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

eulogy

a formal statement of commendation; high praise

exhume

to remove from a grave; to bring to light

murky

dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

piquant

stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative

utopian

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

verbiage

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

atrophy

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

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to waste away

concord

a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, past, covenant

disarray

disorder, confusion

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to throw into disorder

frenetic

frenzied, highly agitated

grouse

a type of game bird; a complaint

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to complain, grumble

incumbent

obligatory, required

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one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

jocular

humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

mordant

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

pusillanimous

contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

stratagem

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

bastion

a fortified place, stronghold

consummate

to bring to a state of completion or perfection

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complete or perfect in the highest degree

exigency

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

flotsam

floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

glean

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

incarcerate

to imprison, confine, jail

ludicrous

ridiculous, laughable, absurd

nettle

a prickly or stinging plant

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to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

pecuniary

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

recumbent

in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

delineate

to portray, sketch or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially

esoteric

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

fiat

an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness

figment

a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

hallow

to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

idiosyncrasy

a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

mundane

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

nuance

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

reputed

according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; alleged

sumptuous

costly, rich, magnificent

acuity

sharpness

depraved

marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

enervate

to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

fecund

fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

garner

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

ignominy

shame and disgrace

overweening

conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

penchant

a strong attraction or inclination

sophistry

reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy

ubiquitous

present or existing everywhere