ISEE Upper Verbal Word List

pomp

a showy or dignified display

luminary

a celebrity who is an inspiration to others

sesquicentennial

150th anniversary

constituents

The residents of a congressional district or state.

paramount

chief in importance, above all others

prefiguration

early indication of something, in biblical usage the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah

apocryphal

of doubtful authenticity

bedeviled

bothered, plagued, tormented

matriculation

be admitted enter a university as a student

frenetic

frantic; frenzied

preceptorial

a college course that emphasizes independent reading, discussion in small groups, and individual conferences with the teacher.

incubus

nightmare

provincialism

a narrow, limited, and self-interested view of the world

lambast

criticize severely or angrily

foreordained

predestined; assured

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate

aspersions

Damaging remarks, defamation, slander

espousal

the act of accepting with approval

shied

shrank or flinched away

expound

to explain in detail; to clarify

proclivity

a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

cardinal

most important; chief

metamorphosis

a transformation or dramatic change

ensconced

settled comfortably

homage

special honor or respect shown publicly

imperious

arrogantly domineering or overbearing

hallow

(v.) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

elective

an optional academic course or subject

discretionary

left to one's own judgement

conciliate

to reconcile, to pacify, to renew a friendship

enterprise

An undertaking or business organization; industrious

hamstrung

severely restrict the efficiency or effectiveness of.

wrest

to pull away, take by violence

profess

to declare

neophyte

novice; beginner

abounded

existed in great numbers

injunction

an authoritative command or order

ardent

enthusiastic or passionate

jocularity

good-natured, playful joyousness

gubernatorial

pertaining to a governor

irascible

easily angered

perennial

(adj.) lasting for a long time, persistent; (n.) a plant that lives for many years

conclave

private meeting

peroration

the concluding part of a speech; flowery, rhetorical speech

idolent

lazy, idle

impetus

a moving force, impulse, stimulus

ambivalence

the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

acuity

sharpness of vision

perfunctory

done without care; in a routine fashion

fervent

eager; earnest

augment

increase

supplant

to replace

mollify

to calm or make less severe

taciturn

silent; not talkative

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning

jingoism

extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy.

inasmuch

to the extent that; insofar as

behest

a person's orders or command.

quandary

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

lurid

presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms

receptive

willing to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas.