FINAL VOCAB

caustic

capable of burning, corroding, or dissolving, or eating away by chemical action

caustic

cruelly cutting and sarcastic

deleterious

harmful, injurious

despoil

to thoroughly rob and destroy a place; to plunder; to loot

despoil

to deprive of something valuable by force

effectual

producing or able to produce a desired effect; fully adequate; effective

obviate

to anticipate and prevent a difficulty; to make unnecessary

pinnacle

a tall, pointed formation, such as a mountain peak

pinnacle

the highest, most successful point

raze

to level to the ground; demolish

stultify

to make ineffective or useless; to negate

surmount

to overcome a difficulty or an obstacle

surmount

to be placed on top

wrest

to obtain through a violent, twisting motion

wrest

to obtain by force or great effort

deplore

to express strong disapproval of; to condemn

deplore

to express grief over; to regret

disconsolate

incapable of being comforted; hopelessly dejected or sad

domineering

ruling or controlling arrogantly; overbearing; tyrannical

halcyon

calm and peaceful; tranquil

halcyon

prosperous; golden

lachrymose

tending to produce tears; tearful; inclined to weep

mercurial

quick and changeable in temperament; volatile

mercurial

having characteristics similar to those of the god Mercy

revel

to take great pleasure or delight in something

revel

to make merry; to celebrate

sanguine

of the color of blood; red; ruddy

sanguine

cheerfully confident and optimistic

tirade

A long, angry or violent speech

vex

to irk, irritate, annoy or bother

vex

to bring distress or suffering to; to plague or affect

vex

to puzzle or baffle

commodious

spacious and roomy

finite

limited; having an ending or a boundary

gamut

the complete range or extent of something

incalculable

very great; beyond measurement

iota

a tiny bit; an extremely small amount

lofty

of great height; towering

lofty

elevated and noble in character

lofty

arrogant; haughty; pompous

minuscule

very small; tiny

picayune

of little value or importance; paltry; trivial

vestige

a visible trace, evidence, or sign of something that no longer exists

wane

to decrease; to diminish in power or size; to near an end

wane

the act or process of declining or diminishing

apathetic

feeling or showing a lack of interest, concern, or emotion; indifferent; unresponsive

consecrate

to declare or distinguish as holy; to make sacred for religious use

consecrate

to make venerable or worthy of reverence; to hallow

consecrate

to dedicate solemnly to a service or a goal

credo

a code, system, or statement of beliefs; a creed

heinous

grossly wicked or evil; abominable

ingrate

an ungrateful person

piety

religious reverence; earnestness in religious matters; devoutness

piety

devotion to parents and family

piety

possessing a strict sense of morality; high-minded

sacrilegious

extremely irreverent or disrespectful toward what is considered sacred

sanctimony

false righteousness; hypocritical devoutness or high-mindedness

sanctity

sacredness; holiness of life or disposition

timorous

full of fear or apprehensiveness; timid

berserk

destructively or frenetically violent

berserk

mentally or emotionally upset; deranged

jubilee

a specially celebrated anniversary, particularly a fiftieth anniversary

jubilee

a season or an occasion of joyful celebration

juggernaut

an overwhelming, advancing force that crushes or seems to crush everything in its path

juggernaut

something, such as a belief or institution, that elicits blind and destructive devotion or to which people are ruthlessly sacrificed

kowtow

to kneel, touching the head to the ground in an expression of deep respect, worship, or submission, as formerly done in China

kowtow

to show servile submission; to fawn

maelstrom

a violent or turbulent situation

maelstrom

a whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence

mecca

a place that is regarded as the center of an activity or interest

mecca

a place visited by many people

nabob

a wealthy and prominent person

saga

a prose epic with many episodes, often giving a family history

saga

a long, detailed account

shibboleth

a word or pronunciation that distinguishes people of one group or class from those of another

shibboleth

a commonplace saying or idea

trek

to make slow, difficult journey; to journey on foot

trek

a journey or leg of a journey, especially if slow and difficult

cavort

to leap or dance about in high spirits

emanate

to send forth; to emit or exude

meander

to follow a winding and turning course

meander

to move aimlessly and idly without a fixed direction; to wander

retrogress

to return to an earlier, inferior, or less complex condition; to go or move backward

serpentine

snakelike; resembling a snake in form or movement

supersede

to replace or supplant; to displace as inferior

torpid

inactive or apathetic; lethargic; sluggish

torpid

deprived of the power of motion or feeling; numbed

transitory

existing or lasting only a short while; temporary; short-lived

undulate

to move with a smooth, wavelike motion

unremitting

never letting up or lessening; persistent

extenuation

a partial excuse or justification

portent

an omen; a sign that something important or disastrous is about to occur

pretentious

claiming or demanding a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified

pretentious

showy; marked by extravagant outward display

retentive

having the ability to keep, maintain, or remember something

retinue

the attendants accompanying a high-ranking person; an entourage

sustain

to support, keep in existence, or supply with necessities; to maintain or provide for

sustain

to support from below; to keep from falling or sinking; to prop up

sustain

to confirm as correct or valid

sustenance

something, especially food, that supplies life, strength, or health; nutrition