English units 1, 2, 3 vocab

unit 1 done unit 2 done unit 3 done

acquisitive

(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information, concerned with acquiring wealth or property

Synonyms of acquisitive

greedy, avaricious, retentive

arrogate

(v.) to claim or take without right

synonyms of arrogate

expropriate, commandeer

banal

(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace

lacking originality to the point that it is boring

synonyms of banal

stale, insipid

belabor

(v.) to work on excessively, to thrash soundly

synonyms of belabor

overwork

carping

(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairspitting way

synonyms of carping

nit-picking, caviling

coherent

(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

synonyms of coherent

connected, unified, consistent, cohesive

congeal

(v.) to change from liquid to soil, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

synonyms of congeal

harden, jell, solidify

emulate

(v.) to initate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

synonyms of emulate

copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

encomium

(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

synonyms of encomium

panegyric, eulogy

eschew

(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from

synonyms of eschew

abstain from, steer clear of, forgo

germane

(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

synonyms of germane

pertinent

insatiable

(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

synonyms of insatiable

unquenchable, ravenous

intransigent

(adj.) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

synonyms of intransigent

uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate

invidious

(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

synonyms of invidious

malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

largesse

(n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

synonyms of largesse

liberality, bounty

reconnaissance

(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

synonyms of reconnaissance

exploration

substantiate

(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form

synonyms of substantiate

confirm, validate, authenticate

taciturn

(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

synonyms of taciturn

tight-lipped, uncommunicative, laconic

temporize

(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision, to compromise

synonyms of temporize

dillydally, procrastinate

tenable

(adj.) capable of being held or defended

synonyms of tenable

defensible, justifiable, maintainable

accost

(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

synonyms of accost

buttonhole, approach

animadversion

(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

synonyms of animadversion

rebuke, reproof

avid

(adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

synonyms of avid

keen, enthusiastic, grasping

brackish

(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

synonyms of brackish

saline

celerity

(n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

synonyms of celerity

promptness, speed

devious

(adj.) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

synonyms of devious

roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

gambit

(n.) 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

synonyms of gambit

ploy, ruse, maneuver

halcyon

(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher

(adj.) of or relating to halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

synonyms of halcyon

tranquil, placid, palmy

histrionic

(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

synonyms of histrionic

affected, stage

incendiary

(adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion

(n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

synonyms of incendiary

inflammatory, provocative, firebrand

maelstrom

(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

synonyms of maelstrom

chaos, turbulence, tumult

myopic

(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

synonyms of myopic

shortsighted

overt

(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

synonyms of overt

clear, obvious, manifest, patent

pejorative

(adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

propriety

(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness

(pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

Synonyms of propriety

fitness, correctness

sacrilege

(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

synonyms of sacrilege

desecration, profanation, defilement

summarily

(adj.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

synonyms of summarily

promptly, peremptorily

suppliant

(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly

(n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

talisman

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

undulate

(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

synonyms of undulate

fluctuate, rise and fall

cavort

(v.) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

synonyms of cavort

gambol

credence

(n.) belief, mental acceptance

synonyms of credence

credit, trust, confidence

decry

(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officialy depreciate

syonyms of decry

denounce, censure, devalue

dissemble

(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberatly give a false impression

synonyms of dissemble

dissimulate, mask, feign

distraught

(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

synonyms of distraught

distracted

eulogy

(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise

synonyms of eulogy

panegyric, encomium, tribute

evince

(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

synonyms of evince

exhibit, manifest, occasion

exhume

(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light

syonyms of exhume

disinter, unearth, uncover

feckless

(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

synonyms of feckless

feeble, incompetent, ineffectual

murky

(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

synonyms of murky

dim, cloudy

nefarious

(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

synonyms of nefarious

iniquitous, reprehensible

piquant

(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative