Unit 13-15 Review

adamant

(adj.) firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible; (n.) an extremely hard substance

brouhaha

(n.) a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified

bulwark

(n.) a strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense; (v.) to provide such defense or protection

choleric

(adj.) easily made angry, bad-tempered

cloy

(v.) to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things; to glut, satiate, surfeit

curtail

(v.) to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce

deference

(n.) courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by submission, as to a superior

definitive

(adj.) conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done

demeanor

(n.) the way a person behave, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearance, mien

enigmatic

(adj.) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood

impromptu

(adj., adv.) without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done; (n.) an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation

mawkish

(adj.) excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor

mollify

(v.) to soften, make gentle, pacify; to calm, allay, assuage, appease, placate; to reduce in intensity

onus

(n.) something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma; blame

presentiment

(n.) a vague sense of approaching misfortune

profligate

(adj.) given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; (n.) a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending

remit

(v.) to send or hand in; to cancel, forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer

requisite

(adj.) needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable

sartorial

(adj.) of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men's)

thwart

(v.) to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate

Amenable

(adj.) willing to follow advice or authority, tractable, submissive; responsive; liable to be held responsible

Berate

(v.) to scold sharply

Carnage

(n.) large-scale slaughter or loss of life

Credulous

(adj.) too ready to believe, easily deceived

Criterion

(n.) a rule, test; a standard for judgment or evaluation

Deplete

(v.) to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly

Expatiate

(v.) to expand on, write or talk at length or in detail; to move about freely

Inception

(n.) the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process, institution, etc.

Infirmity

(n.) a weakness or ailment (physical, mental, moral, etc.)

Extraneous

(adj.) coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant

Jejune

(adj.) lacking in nutritive value; lacking in interest or substance; inmature, juvenile

Obdurate

(adj.) stubborn, unyielding

Potpourri

(n.) a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items; a general mixture; petals mied with spices for scent

Sadistic

(adj.) delighting in cruelty, excessively cruel

Precocious

(adj.) showing unusually early development (especially in talents and mental capacity)

Sententious

(adj.) self-righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maims or adages; saying much in few words, pithy

Suplicate

(v.) to beg earnestly and humbly

Surfeit

(n.) an excess or overindulgence as in eating or drinking, causing disgust; (v.) to feed ir supply with anything to excess

Tortuous

(adj.) winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved, complex; devious

Turgid

(adj.) swollen, bloated, filled to excess; overdecorated or excessive in language

Abet

(v.) to encourage, assist, aid, support (especially in something wrong or unworthy)

Aver

(v.) to affirm, declare confidently

Blatant

(adj.) noisy in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense

Broach

(v.) to bring up or begin to talk about (a subject); to announce, introduce; to break the surface of the water; to pierce; (n.) a spit for roasting; a tool for tapping casks

Buttress

(v.) to support, prop up, strengthen; (n.) a supporting structure

Carousal

(n.) Noisy revelry or merrymaking

Collate

(v.) to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities, etc.; to arrange in order for some scientific purpose

Connoisseur

(n.) an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts

Disconsolate

(adj.) deeply unhappy or dejected; without hope, beyond consolation

Encumber

(v.) to weigh down or burden (with difficulties, cares, debt, etc.); to fill up, block up, hinder

Foment

(v.) to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm

Grisly

(adj.) frightful, horrible, ghastly

Herculean

(adj.) relating to Hercules; characterized by great strength; very hard to do in the sense of requiring unusal strength

Impassive

(adj.) showing no feeling or emotion; inanimate; motionless

Inauspicious

(adj.) unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future

Incontrovertible

(adj.) unquestionable, beyond dispute

Nonplussed

(adj., part.) puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss

Opportune

(adj.) suitable or convenient for a particular purpose; occuring at an appropriate time

Prolific

(adj.) abundantly productive; abundant, profuse

Rejoinder

(n.) a reply to a reply, especially from the defendent in a legal suit