Unit 7-12 : Level D

adieu

a farewell

Advent

An arrival; coming into place or view

Apex

The highest point; tip

Assimilate

To absorb fully or make one’s own; to make as one’s own'; to adapt fully

Bogus

False; counterfeit

Exorbitant

Unreasonably high; excessive

Interim

the time between, temporary, coming between points in time

Inundate

To flood, overflow

Malign

To speak evil of, slander; evil

Meander

To wander about, a sharp turn or zigzag

Metropolis

A large city; to chief city of an area

momentous

very important

obstreperous

noisy; uncontrolled

pensive

thoughtful; melancholy

perilous

dangerous

shoddy

of poor quality; inferior craftsmanship or workmanship

sprightly

lively, full of life; spicy, flavorful

surly

angry and bad tempered;rude

Tirade

a long, angry speech, usually very critical

vagrant

an idle wanderer, tramp; wandering aimlessly

assurance

(n.) a pledge; freedom from doubt, self-confidence SYN: promise, sureness, poise, self-possession ANT: uncertainty, doubt, insecurity

asylum

(n.) an institution for the care of children, elderly people, etc.; a place of safety SYN: sanatorium, sanctuary, refuge

console

(v.) to comfort; (n.) the keyboard of an organ; a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device SYN: (v.) soothe, solace, alleviate ANT: (v.) distress, aggravate, bother, vex, torment

dilate

(v.) to make or become larger or wide; to expand upon SYN: enlarge, expand, swell, prolong ANT: contract, compress, constrict

dross

(n.) refuse, waste products SYN: rubbish, trash, detritus, dregs, scum

dwindle

(v.) to lessen, diminish SYN: decrease, shrink, fade, peter out ANT: increase, enlarge, swell, proliferate

flippant

(adj.) lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy SYN: frivolous, impudent, impertinent, insolent ANT: serious, respectful, deferential, obsequious

immunity

(n.) resistance to disease; freedom from some charge or obligation SYN: exemption, impunity ANT: vulnerability, susceptibility, exposure

institute

(v.) to establish, set up; (n.) an organization for the promotion of learning SYN: (v.) found, bring about; (n.) academy ANT: (v.) terminate, discontinue, demolish, raze

liability

(n.) a debt; something disadvantageous SYN: handicap, difficulty, impediment, drawback ANT: advantage, asset

preposterous

(adj.) ridiculous, senseless SYN: nonsensical, absurd, incredible ANT: sensible, reasonable, realistic, plausible

pugnacious

(adj.) quarrelsome, fond of fighting SYN: argumentative, combative, belligerent ANT: peace-loving, friendly, amicable, congenial

rabid

(adj.) furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies SYN: fanatical, zealous, raving, infuriated, berserk ANT: moderate, restrained, blase, indifferent

realm

(n.) a kingdom; a region or field of study SYN: domain, duchy, bailiwick, jurisdiction

rejuvenate

(v.) to make young again; to make like new SYN: revitalize, renew ANT: wear out, exhaust, enervate, debilitate

remunerate

(v.) to reward, pay, reimburse SYN: compensate, satisfy, profit, benefit

sparse

(adj.) meager, scant; scattered SYN: thin, scanty, few and far between ANT: plentiful, abundant, profuse, teeming

sterling

(adj.) genuine, excellent; made of silver of standard fineness SYN: first-rate, outstanding, worthy, pure ANT: mediocre, shoddy, second-rate, sham

venture

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking; (v.) to expose to danger; to dare SYN: (n.) gamble; (v.) try, chance, undertake ANT: (v.) withdraw, retire, shrink from, shy away

warp

(v.) to twist out of shape; (n.) abnormality SYN: (v.) bend, distort, misshape; (n.) irregularity ANT: (v.) straighten, unbend, rectify

auxiliary

(adj.) giving assistance or support; (n.) a helper, aid

candid

(adj.) frank, sincere; impartial; unposed

cubicle

a small room or compartment

drudgery

work that is hard and tiresome

envoy

(n.) a representative or messenger (as of a government)

escalate

(v.) to elevate; to increase in intensity

expedient

(n.) a means to an end; (adj.) advantageous, useful

feign

to pretend

flair

(n.) a natural quality, talent, or skill; a distinctive style

grievous

(adj.) causing sorrow or pain; serious

heterogeneous

(adj.) composed of different kinds, diverse

horde

(n.) a vast number (as of people); a throng

impel

to force, drive forward

incredulous

disbelieving, skeptical

inscribe

(v.) to write or engrave; to enter a name on a list

monologue

(n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person

prognosis

a forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease or situation

rasping

(adj.) with a harsh, grating sound; (n.) a harsh sound

repugnant

(adj.) offensive, disagreeable, distasteful

scuttle

(v.) to sink a ship by cutting holes in it; to get rid of something in a decisive way; to run hastily, scurry; (n.) a pail

adept

(adj.) thoroughly skilled (n.) an expert

aspire

(v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

bleak

(adj.) bare, dreary, dismal

chide

(v.) to blame; scold

despicable

(adj.) worthy of scorn, contemptible

diminutive

(adj.) small, smaller than most others of the same type

emancipate

(v.) to free from slavery; to release or liberate

erroneous

(adj.) incorrect, containing mistakes

exploit

(v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit (n.) a feat, deed

extemporaneous

(adj.) made or delivered on the spur of the moment

impair

(v.) to make imperfect, damage, harm

invincible

(adj.) not able to be defeated, unbeatable

languid

(adj.) drooping; without energy, sluggish

mire

(n.) mud; wet, swampy ground, a tough situation

obtrusive

(adj.) forward; undesirably prominent; thrust out

preamble

(n.) an introduction to a speech or piece of writing

render

(v.) to cause to become; to perform; to deliver offivially; to process; extract

rugged

(adj.) rough, irregular; severe, stern; strong; stormy

skeptical

(adj.) inclined to doubt; slow to accept something as true

slipshod

(adj.) untidy in dress, personal habits, etc.; careless, sloppy

brevity

(n) shortness

comport

(v) to conduct or bear oneself, behave; to be in agreement

concise

(adj) expressing much in a few words

demure

(adj) sober or serious in manner, modest

depreciation

(n) a lessening in value; a belittling

deteriorate

(v) to lower in quality or value; to wear away

divulge

(v) to tell, reveal; to make public

enlightened

(adj) free from ignorance and false ideas; possessing sound understanding

forestall

(v) to prevent by acting first

garble

(v) to distort in such a way as to make unintelligible

proponent

(n) one who puts forward a proposal; one who supports a cause or belief

quaver

(v) to shake, tremble; to trill

recoil

(v) to spring back, shrink; (n) the act of springing back

recoup

(v) to make up for, regain

reek

(n) an unpleasant smell; (v) to give off unpleasant smells; to give a strong impression

relentless

(adj) unyielding, harsh, without pity

rivulet

(n) a small stream

squander

(v) to spend foolishly, waste

staccato

(adj) detached or disconnected in sound or style

statute

(n) a law