sat vocab

incur

(1) v. if you incur sth unpleasant, you are in a situation in which you have to deal with it

(2) v. if you incur costs, you have to pay them

imprudence

n. the fact of not being wise or sensible

disposition

n. the natural qualities of a person’s character

exult

v. to feel and show that you are very excited and happy because of something that has happened

repose

n. a state of rest, sleep or feeling calm

zealous

adj. showing great energy and enthusiasm for sth, especially because you feel strongly about it

renunciation

n. an act of stating publicly that you no longer believe sth or that you are giving sth up

tenuous

adj. if you describe something such as a connection, a reason, or someone's position as tenuous, you mean that it is very uncertain or weak.

peripheral

adj. peripheral areas of land are ones which are on the edge of a larger area.

unanimity

n. when there is unanimity among a group of people, they all agree about something or all vote for the same thing.

stimuli

n. (plural form for stimulus) A stimulus is something that encourages activity in people or things.

disconcert

v. to make sb feel anxious, confused or embarrassed

imperceptible

adj. very small and therefore unable to be seen or felt

conjecture

n. an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge and is formed by guessing

v. to form an opinion about sth even though you do not have much information on it

eclipse

(1) n. an occasion when the moon passes between the earth and the sun so that you cannot see all or part of the sun for a time; an occasion when the earth passes between the moon and the sun so that you cannot see all or part of the moon for a time

(2) n. a loss of importance, power, etc. especially because sb/sth else has become more important, powerful

(3) v. to make sb/sth seem neither exciting nor important by comparison

pragmatic

adj. solving problems in a practical and sensible way rather than by having fixed ideas or theories

rebuke

v. to speak severely to sb because they have done sth wrong

beauteous

adj. beautiful

equanimity

n. a calm state of mind that means that you do not become angry or upset, especially in difficult situations

mirth

n. happiness, fun and the sound of people laughing

rotunda

n. a round building or hall, especially one with a curved roof (= a dome )

dictate

(1) v. to say words for sb else to write down

(2) v. to tell sb what to do, especially in an annoying way

disparate

(1) adj. made up of parts or people that are very different from each other

(2) adj. (of two or more things) so different from each other that they cannot be compared or cannot work together

conjecture

n. an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge and is formed by guessing

constitute

(1) v. to be considered to be sth

(2) v. to be the parts that together form sth

wince

v. to suddenly make an expression with your face that shows that you are feeling pain or embarrassment

volition

n. the power to choose sth freely or to make your own decisions

evocatively

adv. making you think of or remember a strong image or feeling, in a pleasant way

indifference

n. a lack of interest, feeling or reaction towards sb/sth

preponderance

1. the fact or quality of being ___; superiority in weight, power, numbers, etc..

   The ___ of votes is against the proposal.

   Synonyms: bulk, mass, majority, predominance

presuppose

(1) v. to accept sth as true or existing and act on that basis, before it has been proved to be true

(2) v. to depend on sth in order to exist or be true

entitle

v. to give sb the right to have or to do sth

inauguration

n. the action of introducing a new public official or leader at a special ceremony

dormant

adj. not active or growing now but able to become active or to grow in the future

impenetrable

(1) adj. that cannot be entered, passed through or seen through

(2) adj. impossible to understand SYN: incomprehensible

edifice

n. a large impressive building

rebut

v. to say or prove that a statement or criticism is false SYN: refute

disparity

n. a difference, especially one connected with unfair treatment

contrived

1. to plan with ingenuity; devise; invent.

   The author ___ a clever plot.

   Synonyms: concoct, design

2. to bring about or effect by a plan, scheme, or the like; manage.

   He ___ to gain their votes.

3. to plot (evil, treachery, etc.).

   Synonyms: scheme, conspire

surmise

1. to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.

   Synonyms: suspect, suppose, imagine

dogmatic

1. relating to or of the nature of a dogma or dogmas or any strong set of principles concerning faith, morals, etc., as those laid down by a church; doctrinal.

   We hear dogmatic arguments from both sides of the political spectrum.

2. asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated.

   I refuse to argue with someone so dogmatic that he won't listen to reason.

   Synonyms: dictatorial, imperious, arbitrary

confounding

1. perplexing or bewildering.

   He’s hosting an evening of readings from some of the most sensational and ___ cases of Sherlock Holmes.

2. throwing someone or something into confusion or disorder.

   Still in shock, his wife broke the ___ news that their only son had been killed by a stray bullet.

3. Statistics. interacting with both the dependent and independent variables in an experiment or study, making it impossible to determine a causal effect between them.

   The authors list potential ___ factors, but it is not clear from the paper whether all of these were controlled for in the analyses.

disseminate

1. to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; promulgate extensively; broadcast; disperse.

   to ___ information about preventive medicine.

desultory

1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful.

   desultory conversation.

2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random.

   a desultory remark.

spurious

1. not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.

   Synonyms: deceitful, meretricious, phony, feigned, mock, bogus, sham, false

   Antonyms: genuine

2. Biology. (of two or more parts, plants, etc.) having a similar appearance but a different structure.

3. of illegitimate birth; bastard.

veritable

1. being truly or very much so.

   a ___ triumph.

   Synonyms: utter, genuine, real

2. Obsolete. true, as a statement or tale.

notional

1. abstract, theoretical, or speculative, as reflective thought.

2. not real or actual; ideal or imaginary.

   to create a ___ world for oneself.

3. given to or full of foolish or fanciful ideas or moods.

4. Semantics. belonging to a class of words that express clear concepts rather than relations between concepts; presentive.

repudiate

• to reject as having no authority or binding force.

  to ___ a claim.

  Synonyms: disclaim, discard, disavow

  Antonyms: accept

• to cast off or disown.

  to ___ a son.

• to reject with disapproval or condemnation.

  to ___ a new doctrine.

  Synonyms: disapprove, condemn, disown, renounce

  Antonyms: approve

• to reject with denial.

  to ___ a charge as untrue.

recant

to withdraw or disavow (a statement, opinion, etc.), especially formally; retract.

barring

excluding

contentious

tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome.

a ___ crew.

Synonyms: argumentative, disputatious

arduous

requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult.

an ___ undertaking.

Synonyms: exhausting, burdensome, wearisome, onerous, toilsome, hard

latent

adj. existing, but not yet clear, active or well developed

tempest

violent storm

caricature

a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things.

proponent

n. (formal) a person who supports an idea or course of action

corollary

• an immediate consequence or easily drawn conclusion.

• a natural consequence or result.

wayward

adj. difficult to control

consecrate

v. to state officially in a religious ceremony that sth is holy and can be used for religious purposes

exalt

(1) v. to praise sb/sth very much

(2) v. to make sb rise to a higher rank or position, sometimes to one that they do not deserve

Similar: glorify, praise

precarious

adj. not safe or certain; dangerous

cordially

in a courteous and friendly way; graciously.

inadvertently

adv. by accident; without intending to

antecedent

adj. previous

tentative

1. unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant.

   a ___ smile on his face.

2. of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental.

   a ___ report on her findings.

sanction

authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.

ameliorate

v. to make sth better

conspicuous

adj. easy to see or notice; likely to attract attention

deposition

1. removal from an office or position.

2. the act or process of depositing.

   ___ of the documents with the Library of Congress.

3. the state of being ___ or precipitated.

   deposition of soil at the mouth of a river.

4. something that is deposited.

5. Law. 

   1. the giving of testimony under oath.

   2. the testimony so given.

   3. a statement under oath, taken down in writing, to be used in court in place of the spoken testimony of the witness.

fulcrum

(1) n. the point on which a LEVER turns or is supported

(2) n. the most important part of an activity or a situation

retrospect

n. thinking about a past event or situation, often with a different opinion of it from the one you had at the time

prudent

adj. sensible and careful when you make judgements and decisions; avoiding unnecessary risks

overt

adj. done in an open way and not secretly

cohort

• a group of people.

  She has a ___ of admirers.

• a companion or associate.

  Synonyms: buddy, pal, chum, fellow, comrade, friend

redress

(1) v. to correct sth that is unfair or wrong

(2) n. payment, etc. that you should get for sth wrong that has happened to you or harm that you have suffered

anomalous

adj. different from what is normal or expected

paradigm

(1) n. a typical example or pattern of sth

(2) n. a set of all the different forms of a word

miasma

n. a mass of air that is dirty and smells unpleasant

imposing

adj. impressive to look at; making a strong impression

eminence

n. the quality of being famous and respected, especially in a profession

impediment

n. something that delays or stops the progress of sth

precede

v. to happen before sth or come before sth/sb in order

preclude

v. to prevent sth from happening or sb from doing sth; to make sth impossible

arbitrary

1. based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

   Similar: random, chance, erratic

2. decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute.

3. having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical.

   an ___ government.

4. based on whim or personal preference, without reason or pattern; random.

   This is an unusual encyclopedia, arranged by topics in a more or less ___ order.

5. Mathematics. undetermined; not assigned a specific value.

   an ___ constant.

countenance

n. a person’s face or their expression

wretch

(1) n. a person that you feel sympathy for or are sad about

(2) n. (often humorous) an evil, unpleasant or annoying person

eccentric

adj. considered by other people to be strange or unusual

imperative

adj. very important and needing immediate attention or action

irresolvable

adj. impossible to solve or settle

rectify

v. to correct something or make something right

nebulous

adj. vague and not clearly defined or not easy to describe

grist

• 1.

  grain that is ground to make flour.

  • malt crushed to make mash for brewing.

• 2.

  useful material, especially to back up an argument.

creed

(1) n. a set of beliefs, principles, or opinions that strongly influence the way people live or work.

(2) n. a religion.

verdant

adj. covered with green grass, trees, and plants.

festoon

v. to decorate a room or other place for a special occasion by hanging coloured paper, lights, flowers, etc. around it, especially in curve.

resplendent

adj. If you describe someone or something as resplendent, you mean that their appearance is very impressive and expensive-looking.

irreproachable

adj. without fault and therefore impossible to criticize.

unequivocal

leaving no doubt; unambiguous.
adj. total, or expressed in a clear and certain way.

insuperable

adj. a (especially of a problem) so great or severe that it cannot be defeated or dealt with successfully.This term is often used to describe obstacles that seem impossible to overcome.

ineluctable

adj. impossible to avoid.