Vocab Unit 10 Level G

askance

(adv.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval

syn: distrustfully, suspiciously, skeptically

attenuate

(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value

syn: thin out, dilute

ant: thicken, strengthen

benign

(adj.) gentle kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial eggect; not malignant

syn: benevolent, salutary

ant: malevolent, deleterious

cavil

(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; (n.) a trivial objection or criticism

syn: (v.) nitpick, quibble

charlatan

(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a prentender, impostor, or quack

syn: fraud, mountebank

decimate

(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of

syn: ravage, devastate

foible

(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw

syn: shortcoming, defect, quirk

ant: forte, virtue

forgo

(v.) to do without, abstain from, give up

syn: refrain from, renounce

ant: indulge in, partake of

fraught

(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by

syn: charged with

ant: devoid of, lacking, deficient in

inure

(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure

syn: accustom, acclimate

luminous

(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating

syn: radiant, bright

ant: dark, opaque

obsequious

(adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons

syn: fawning, servile

ant: assertive, bumptious

obtuse

(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90 and 180 degrees; not causing a sharp impression

syn: stupid, dumb

ant: acute, perceptive

oscillate

(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver

syn: vibrate, vacillate

penitent

(adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes; (n.) one who is sorry for wrongdoing

syn: remorseful, regretful

ant: unrepentant, remorseless

peremptory

(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denail, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute

syn: high-handed, unconditional

ant: irresolute, tentative

rebuff

(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; (n.) a curt rejection, a check

syn: (v.) spurn, repulse, reject; (n.) setback

ant: (v.) accept, welcome

reconnoiter

(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection

syn: scout

shambles

(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess

sporadic

(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order

syn: intermittent, spasmodic

ant: constant, steady