Vocab 6-10 - English 10H

clement

merciful; lenient

bask

to lie in or be exposed to warmth

pandemonium

a wild disorder, noise or confusion

banter

teasing; good-natured joking

divulge

to tell, to reveal

expound

to explain; to set forth point by point; to interpret

connoisseur

an expert; a critical judge in matters of culture, food, or wine.

intrepid

without fear; brave

chastise

to punish severely

exodus

a mass movement, exit, or departure of a group

avarice

excessive greed; desire for wealth

demagogue

a leader who appeals to the emotions and prejudices of people, especially to advance his own power

inert

having no power to act or move; inactive

rancor

extreme hatred or ill will

omniscient

having unlimited knowledge; knowing everything

befuddle

to confuse; to perplex

candid

outspoken, blunt; informal, unposed

caustic

biting, burning, severe; sharp or sarcastic

formidable

hard to overcome or deal with; causing fear or awe

plebeian

one of the common people; common or vulgar

uncanny

weird, strange; mysterious; acute

expunge

to erase

connive

to cooperate secretly in a wrongdoing

fickle

likely to change without reason

insipid

without flavor; tasteless; dull; lifeless

balk

to stop short and refuse to continue; to obstruct

genial

warm, friendly

retribution

just or deserved punishment

deprecate

to express disapproval of; to depreciate one’s effort

circumspect

careful, watchful; attentive to all points

extraneous

not belonging; foreign; nonessential

ostensible

apparent; pretended; professed

explicit

clearly stated

destitute

extremely poor; lacking necessities like food and shelter

affable

friendly; courteous; agreeable in manner; easy to talk to

quixotic

extremely idealistic; not practical

scourge

a person or thing which causes great trouble or misfortune; to inflict severe punishment or pain.

gamut

the whole range or extent

frugal

not wasteful; economic

crass

coarse, stupid, tasteless

bacchanalian

wild with drunkenness

bastion

a strong defense; a fort

implacable

cannot be appeased or pacified

circumvent

to get around; to beat or defeat by trickery; to prevent an occurrence

erudite

scholarly; having or showing a wide knowledge gained from reading

fallacy

a false or mistaken idea

penitent

expressing sorrow for having sinned or done wrong

condone

to forgive or overlook an offense by treating the wrongdoer as if he had done nothing wrong

dour

gloomy, sullen

frowzy

dirty, unkempt

vindictive

seeking revenge; bearing a grudge

pique

to cause another’s pride to be wounded OR to excite curiosity or interest

inexorable

adamant; cannot be moved or influenced by persuasion or entreaty

exult

to rejoice over a success or victory

jingoism

extreme patriotism; favoring an aggressive, warlike foreign policy

taciturn

not fond of talking; usually quiet

expatriate

one who chooses to leave his or her native country

agnostic

one who believes that the existence of God is unknown and unknowable

juggernaut

a terrible destructive or irresistible force

abhor

to detest, loathe, hate strongly

levity

lightness or gaiety of disposition; lack of seriousness

unctuous

excessively polite; sleazy, slimy

irascible

easily angered

augment

to enlarge; to increase in amount or intensity

clandestine

secret

docile

easy to teach or manage

extol

to praise highly

sanction

permission, support; to give approval to

incisive

sharp; keen; penetrating

demure

sober or serious in manner, modes

jettison

to throw things overboard

ambivalent

being uncertain; unable to decide between two opposing points of view

jaunty

fashionable, stylish, carefree

harangue

a long, noisy speech or lecture. (verb) to criticize, lecture.

abet

to assist or encourage, especially in wrongdoing