Unit 8 Definitions

allege

(v) to assert without proof or confirmation

arrant

(adj) throughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

badinage

(n) light and playful conversation

conciliate

(v) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

countermand

(v) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

echelon

(n) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

exacerbate

(v) to make more violent, severe, bitter or painful

fatuous

(adj) foolish in a self-satisfied way

irrefutable

(adj) impossible to disprove; beyond argument

juggernaut

(n) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

lackadaisical

(adj) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted

litany

(n) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list

macabre

(adj) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

paucity

(n) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, death

portend

(v) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of

raze

(v) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

recant

(v) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

saturate

(v) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

saturnine

(adj) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

slough

(v) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n) a mire; a state of depression