HUM 216 vocab

CONVOLUTED

(adj.) extremely complex and difficult to follow

MICROBE

(n.) a minute life form, especially a bacterium causing disease or fermentation

REPLICATE

(v.) to reproduce or make an exact copy of

QUAGMIRE

(n.) a soft wet area of low-lying land; an awkward or hazardous situation

PUTREFACTION

(n.) the process of decay or rotting in organic matter caused by bacterial or fungal action

SPATE

(n.) a sudden, forceful flow or a large number of similar events occurring in quick succession

OVERT

(adj.) open and observable; not secret or hidden

EMULATE

(v.) to strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

MONSTROSITY

(n.) a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed; something, especially a building, that is unsightly

ALTRUISM

(n.) the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others

EVANESCENT

(adj.) tending to vanish like vapor; quickly fading or disappearing

INFUSION

(n.) the act of introducing a modifying element; a drink or remedy prepared by soaking plant leaves in liquid

RUDIMENTARY

(adj.) being in the earliest stages of development

REPRESSED

(adj.) characterized by the suppression of impulses or emotions; kept suppressed in one's mind

ABYSMAL

(adj.) extremely bad; appalling

AMBIVALENCE

(n.) the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options

BREVITY

(n.) the quality of being brief or concise

DIMINISH

(v.) to become smaller in scope or degree; to make less impressive

ELOQUENT

(adj.) having refined or expressive communication skills

ERRATIC

(adj.) having no fixed course; deviating from the norm

PEJORATIVE

(adj.) expressing contempt or disapproval

ESOTERIC

(adj.) intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge

SHIRK

(v.) to avoid or neglect; to be unwilling to do

IDIOSYNCRASY

(n.) a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing; a way of thought peculiar to an individual

TUMULT

(n.) a loud, confused noise, especially caused by a large mass of people; confusion or disorder

AMELIORATE

(v.) to make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

RETINUE

(n.) a group of advisers, assistants, or others accompanying an important person

RATIOCINATE

(v.) to form judgments by a process of logic; to reason

TRUNCATE

(v.) to shorten by cutting off the top or the end

RELINQUISH

(v.) to voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up

COGITATE

(v.) to reflect upon; to consider carefully and deeply

DUBIOUS

(adj.) fraught with uncertainty or doubt; morally suspect or of questionable value

REPREHENSIBLE

(adj.) deserving censure or condemnation

INDOLENCE

(n.) inactivity resulting from a dislike of work; avoidance of activity or exertion

FECUND

(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive or inventive

CRYPTIC

(adj.) having a secret or hidden meaning; expressing much in few words; puzzling

SYCOPHANT

(n.) a self-seeking flatterer; a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important to gain advantage

TACITURN

(adj.) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little

BANAL

(adj.) repeated too often; lacking originality or freshness

FALLACIOUS

(adj.) tending to deceive or mislead; based on mistaken belief

ACUMEN

(n.) shrewdness shown by keen insight; skill in making correct decisions and judgments in a particular subject, such as business or politics

INIMITABLE

(adj.) defying imitation; matchless; so good or unusual as to be impossible to reproduce or duplicate

OBDURATE

(adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action; showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings

CAPRICIOUS

(adj.) given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior; determined by chance or impulse rather than reason

PERSPICUOUS

(adj.) transparently clear, easily understandable (of language)

HUBRIS

(n.) excessive pride or self-confidence; overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors

CIRCUMLOCUTION

(n.) the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive

INSIPID

(adj.) lacking flavor; lacking vigor, significance, or impact

STRIDENT

(adj.) unpleasantly loud and harsh; sharply insistent on being heard

RECONDITE

(adj.) incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

OSTENTATIOUS

(adj.) characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice

PENURY

(n.) extreme poverty; destitution

CHURLISH

(adj.) rude in a mean-spirited way; lacking charm and good taste; having an irritable and unpleasant disposition

SOLEMNITY

(n.) the state or quality of being serious, formal, or dignified

LUGUBRIOUS

(adj.) looking or sounding sad and dismal; excessively mournful

BAIZE

(n.) a coarse, typically green woolen material resembling felt, used for covering billiard and card tables

IMPORTUNATE

(adj.) persistent, especially to the point of annoyance or intrusion; demanding in an annoying way

OBSEQUIOUS

(adj.) attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery; excessively obedient or attentive

FEIGN

(v.) to ************* affected by; to make believe with the intent to deceive

COLLOQUIAL

(adj.) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary

ABASE

(v.) To deprive of self-esteem or confidence; to belittle or degrade someone.

WAVER

(v.) To shake with a quivering motion; to sway or tremble; to vacillate; to falter; to hesitate.

ACQUIESCE

(v.) To accept something reluctantly but without protest.

UNDERSCORE

(v.) To underline something; to stress or emphasize.

BELABOR

(v.) To explain or work at something beyond what is necessary; to attack verbally with harsh criticism.

SUPPLANT

(v.) To replace one thing with another; substitute; to move into the position of.

CAPITULATE

(v.) To give up resistance; to surrender under agreed conditions.

RALLY

(v.) To organize or inspire; to encourage; to demonstrate or protest; to recover or cause to recover in health, spirits, or poise.

DEBUNK

(v.) To expose as false; to reduce the inflated reputation of someone, especially by ridicule.

PERPLEX

(v.) To puzzle or bewilder; to make more complicated.

ELICIT

(v.) To draw out or bring forth, evoke, prompt.

OBLITERATE

(v.) To destroy completely; to remove completely from recognition or memory; to cause to become invisible or indistinct.

FABRICATE

(v.) To create or make something up; to lie; to put together out of artificial or natural components or parts.

LAUD

(v.) To praise, extol; to acclaim, glorify.

PORTEND

(v.) To indicate in advance; to be a sign or warning that something is likely to happen.

ENUMERATE

(v.) To number or list; to mention one by one; to specify individually.

DEPLORE

(v.) To regret deeply or strongly; to express strong disapproval of.

CHRONICLE

(v.) To record in a factual and detailed manner; to create an historical record.

MOLLIFY

(v.) To soften in feeling or temper.

SQUANDER

(v.) To waste (something, especially money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner.

APPROPRIATE

(v.) To take possession of (typically without the owner's permission); to devote (money or assets) to a special purpose.

COMPLEMENT

(v.) To add something in a way to complete or make perfect.

DEPICT

(v.) To represent or characterize; portray.

DISPARAGE

(v.) To belittle or bring reproach or discredit upon; to regard or represent as being of little worth.

INURE

(v.) To accustom to hardship or difficulty.

EMBELLISH

(v.) To beautify or enhance; exaggerate; elaborate; to make a statement more interesting by adding extra details, especially ones that are not true.

EXONERATE

(v.) To clear from guilt or blame.

REPUDIATE

(v.) To reject as false; deny.

REMONSTRATE

(v.) To say or plead in protest or disapproval; to make a forceful protest.

ERADICATE

(v.) To remove or destroy completely; put an end to.

BURGEON

(v.) To begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish.

AUGMENT

(v.) To make larger or greater by adding to it.

POLARIZE

(v.) To divide into opposites; to cause something to acquire polarity; to restrict vibrations of a transverse wave, especially light, wholly or partially to one direction.

LAMENT

(v.) To feel or express sorrow or grief; to mourn.

EXACERBATE

(v.) To increase in severity; aggravate.

IMPEDE

(v.) To stop or hinder progress.

EXCORIATE

(v.) To criticize or berate severely; to denounce.

SCRUTINIZE

(v.) To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

REPRESS

(v.) To keep under control; suppress.

SUBSTANTIATE

(v.) To establish proof or evidence; prove.