unit 10 vocab

Askance

(Adv.) with suspicion

Attenuate

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

Benign

(Adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect

Cavil

(V.) to find fault in a petty way (nitpick)

Charlatan

(N.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; an imposter

Decimate

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

Foible

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

Forgo

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

Fraught

(Adj.) full of or loaded with

Inure

(V.) to toughen, harden; to become accustomed to

Luminous

(Adj.) emitting or reflecting light

Obsequious

(Adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; servile

Obtuse

(Adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding

Oscillate

(V.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm

Penitent

(Adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes

Peremptory

(Adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunities for debate

Rebuff

(V.) to snub; to repel, drive away

Reconnoiter

(V.) to engage in reconnaissance, to inspect

Shambles

(N.) a slaughterhouse, a place os mass bloodshed

Sporadic

(Adj.) occurring at irregular intervals