Cumulative vocab 10,11

Gauntlet

(n.) an armored or protective glove; a challenge; two lines of men armed with weapons with which to beat a person forced to run between them; an ordeal

expurgate

(v.) to remove objectionable passages or words from a written text; to cleanse, purify

hypothetical

(adj.) based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation

ignoble

mean, low, base

impugn

(v.) to call into question; to attack as false

intemperate

(adj.) immoderate, lacking in self-control; inclement

odium

hatred, contempt; disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct

perfidy

faithlessness, treachery

relegate

(v.) to place in a lower position; to assign, refer, turn over; to banish

squeamish

(adj.) inclined to nausea; easily shocked or upset; excessively fastidious or refined

dispassionate

impartial; calm, free from emotion

dissension

disagreement, sharp difference of opinion

dissipate

(v.) to cause to disappear; to scatter, dispel; to spend foolishly, squander; to be extravagant in pursuit of pleasure

subservient

(adj.) subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obedient; serving to promote some end

susceptible

(adj.) open to; easily influenced; lacking in resistance

pretentious

(adj.) done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one's skill or abilities, ambitious

abate

(v.) to make less in amount, degree, etc.; to subside, become less; to nullify; to deduct, omit

anathema

(n.) an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article)

astute

(adj.) shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

egregious

(adj.) conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used particularly in an unfavorable sense)

culpable

deserving blame, worthy of condemnation

dilatory

(adj.) tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone

equivocate

(v.) to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous

evanescent

(adj.) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy

irresolute

(adj.) unable to make up one's mind, hesitating

nebulous

(adj.) cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague, confused, indistinct

avarice

(n.) a greedy desire, particularly for wealth

adulation

praise or flattery that is excessive

novice

(n.) one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience (also used adjectivally)

penury

(n.) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency

austere

(adj.) severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain; harsh or sour in flavor

surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

transmute

(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another

vicarious

(adj.) performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another

beneficent

(adj.) performing acts of kindness or charity; conferring benefits, doing good

cadaverous

pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse

concoct

(v.) to prepare by combining ingredients, make up (as a dish); to devise, invent, fabricate

sinecure

(n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

disconcert

to confuse; to disturb the composure of

inconsequential

trifling, unimportant

crass

coarse, unfeeling; stupid

transgress

(v.) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law

debase

(v.) to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulterate; to cause to deteriorate

desecrate

(v.) to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently; to contaminate, pollute

grandiose

(adj.) grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated

redoubtable

inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent

infraction

a breaking of a law or obligation

stalwart

(adj.) strong and sturdy; brave; resolute; (n.) a brave, strong person; a strong supporter; one who takes an uncompromising position

mitigate

to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity

pillage

(v.) to rob of goods by open force (as in war), plunder; (n.) the act of looting; booty

punctilious

(adj.) very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety

reprove

to find fault with, scold, rebuke

vulnerable

(adj.) open to attack; capable of being wounded or damaged; unprotected

acrimonious

(adj.) stinging, bitter in temper or tone

bovine

(adj.) resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive

consternation

dismay, confusion

restitution

(n.) the act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or to a former state or position; making good on a loss or damage

corpulent

(adj.) fat; having a large, bulky body

disavow

to deny responsibility for or connection with

prate

to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion