Elite SAT Vocab 701-800

trowel

a flat-bladed tool used for spreading cement

dislodge

to force out of a concealed position

loath

unwilling, reluctant

zenith

maximum; the highest point

dank

unpleasantly damp

dormant

inactive, but capable of being active

haggard

appearing tired and thin, as from anxiety, disease, hunger, etc.

masonry

stonework or brickwork

dilettante

one who engages an art with only superficial skill; an amateur

jocular

characterized by joking

antipathy

a feeling of strong repulsion or aversion

quarry

a hunted bird or animal; prey

ingenuous

innocent and naive

implicate

to incriminate; to show or suggest involvement

paternal

relating to or characteristic of a father

aver

affirm or declare

liberal

generous; giving freely

perennial

lasting through the years

levy

to impose or collect, usually taxes

prevail

to triumph over; to be or become most common

prowess

superior skill or ability

abdicate

to willingly give up the position of king, queen, etc.; to choose not to fulfill a role or duty

accord

agreement

palpable

capable of being handled, touched, or felt; easily perceived

spontaneous

occurring naturally or without forethought

pedantic

putting unnecessary stress on minor or purely academic knowledge

lithe

limber and graceful; supple

fiasco

a major disaster

drone

to make a continuous, low buzzing or humming sound; to speak monotonously

abide

to tolerate

fluctuate

to move back and forth or up and down, esp. unpredictably

harp

to talk or write about excessively

preeminent

superior in status or fame to all others, esp. as a generally recognized quality

specious

seeming to be truthful on the surface, but actually false

contract

to reduce in size by drawing together

inadvertent

unintentional; accidental

serendipity

unexpected gift or discovery

malicious

spiteful

inanimate

without any character or life; dull

plaintive

expressing sorrow

thwart

prevent; frustrate

regress

to return to a previous state

adept

very skilled, esp. natural talent improved by practice

idiosyncrasy

a particular, peculiar, or eccentric trait

uncouth

uncultured; crude

herald

to bear news; to announce

sparse

thinly spread or distributed; not dense or crowded

bifurcate

to divide into two parts

arbitrary

determined by chance or individual preference, not by reason, necessity or principle

dais

raised platform

savor

to taste or smell, esp. with pleasure; n. the taste or smell

fluster

to make nervous or upset

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 (physically or emotionally)

animosity

bitter hostility, esp. that which provokes punitive action

bard

poet

revere

honor

guffaw

to laugh loudly and crudely; a loud burst of laughter

inveterate

established for a long time; habitual

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 or 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