Elite Vocab 751-875

savor

to taste or smell, esp. with pleasure

fluster

to make nervous

relief

a distinction or prominence due to contrast

habitat

the place where a person or thing is ordinarily found; a particular type of natural environment

platitude

a commonplace remark delivered as if it were important

sabotage

to deliberately obstruct or destroy

minutiae

trivial details

effervescent

giving off gas bubbles; showing high spirits or excitement

desiccate

to dry completely

gregarious

seeking and enjoying the company of others; tending to move in a group

sojourn

a brief visit

listless

having no interest in what is going on about one; languid; spiritless

secular

not religious; worldly

defer

to delay; to put off

surfeit

an excess

compunction

a feeling of uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt

decapitate

to cut off the head

rejuvenate

to restore energy or an appearance of youth

chronology

arrangement of events in time

provincial

limited in perspective; unsophisticated

pliant

easily bent; pliable; adaptable or compliant

melodramatic

exaggeratedly emotional or sentimental

paramount

supreme; ranking higher than others in power or importance

precocious

developing earlier than usual, esp. mentally

syntax

the way words are arranged to form phrases, clauses and sentences

euphoria

a feeling of great happiness

detach

to separate from a larger mass; disengage or remove

animosity

bitter hostility, esp. that which provokes punitive action

bard

a poet

revere

to honor

guffaw

to laugh loudly and crudely; a loud burst of laughter

inveterate

established for a long time

tenable

able to be maintained in argument; rationally defensible; able to be held against assault; defensible

mitigate

to improve by lessening the severity of

giddy

dizzy; lightheaded

diction

word choice in speech or writing; degree of clarity in speaking

negligent

careless; inattentive

omnipotent

all-powerful

propagate

to multiply or reproduce; to transmit; to extend to a wider area

malinger

to act sick in order to avoid work

convene

to bring together

eschew

to avoid; to shun

arable

suitable for growing crops

optimum

the most favorable point or condition

err

to make a mistake

scoff

to make fun of; to ridicule

saturate

to soak or fill to capacity

excruciating

severely painful

douse

to wet thoroughly

restitution

compensation for a loss