Vocabulary Workshop Level H Unit 10 Definitions

acumen

keenness of insight; quickness or accuracy of judgment

adjudicate

to act as judge in a matter; to settle through the use of a judge or legal tribunal

anachronism

a chronological misplacing of events, objects, customs, or persons in regard to each other

apocryphal

of doubtful or questionable authenticity

disparity

a difference of inequality in age, rank, degree, amount, or quality; a dissimilarity, unlikeness

dissimulate

to hide or disguise one’s true thoughts, feelings, or intentions

empirical

derived from, dependent upon, or guided by practical experience, observation, or experiment, rather than by theory; so verifiable

flamboyant

highly elaborate or ornate; vividly colored; strikingly brilliant or bold

fulsome

offensively insincere or excessive; disgusting, sickening

immolate

to kill as a sacrifice, especially by fire; to destroy or renounce for the sake of another

imperceptible

extremely slight; incapable of being perceived by the senses or the mind

lackey

a uniformed male servant; a servile follower

liaison

the contact or means of communication between groups; someone acting as such a contact; any close relationship; a thickening or binding agent used in cooking

monolithic

characterized by massiveness, solidness, and total uniformity

mot juste

the most suitable or exact word or expression

nihilism

a total rejection of existing laws; extreme radicalism

patrician

(noun) a member of the ruling class; a person of high rank; (adj.) belonging to, befitting, or characteristic of such a person

propitiate

to make someone or something favorably inclined toward oneself; to conciliate, satisfy, or appease

sic

thus so; intentionally written so

sublimate

to redirect the energy of a biological or instinctive impulse into a higher or more acceptable channel