Wordly Wise 3000 Book 12 Lessons 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

acumen

Keenness of the mind; shrewdness.

apotheosis

1. (n.) The elevation of a person or thing to divine status. 2. The highest point or best example.

askew

Turned or twisted to one side; out of line.

chasten

To correct or improve by disciplining; to cause to be more careful or restrained

demarcation

1. the act or process of setting a boundary; the boundary itself
2. separation; distinction

dictum

a statement or pronouncement

erstwhile

of an earlier time; former

forte

an activity at which a person excels

habitue

a person who regularly goes to a particular place

nonplus

to cause to be at a loss as to what to say or do

peripatetic

of or relating to going from place to place, especially on foot

prodigal

one who spends lavishly or wastefully

sycophant

one who uses flattery to win favor or to ingratiate him- or herself

vacuous

lacking intelligence or ideas; intellectual emptiness

wraith

a shadowy or ghostlike figure

cacophony

Harsh or jarring sound.

confrere

Conrade; colleague.

convoke

To summon or call together for a meeting.

filial

Of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter.

fractious

Tending to be troublesome; irritable.

fulminate

To express with denunciation, often in an explosive way.

jocular

Given to or characterized by joking; playful; jolly.

nugatory

Having no force or effect.

obloquy

1. An utterance of denunciation. 2. The condition of one who is held in contempt for a shameful action.

palpable

1. Easy to touch or feel. 2. Easy to see, hear, or recognize; obvious.

parity

Equality of rank or value.

peruse

To read through something, either casually or closely.

polemic

1. An argument to refute a position or opinion. 2. One who aggressively advocates a position.

supplicate

To ask for humbly; to plead or beg.

temporize

To act evasively in order to achieve a compromise or to gain time.

apprise

To make aware of; inform.

beatific

Marked by a joyful appearance; blissful.

cogent

Forceful, to the point, and convincing.

colloquy

A conversation or dialogue, especially on a serious subject.

deprave

To corrupt morally; to debase.

discrete

Unconnected to other parts; separate and distinct.

efface

To remove clear evidence of; to rub out or erase. 2. To make (oneself) inconspicuous.

elucidate

To make clear by explanation; to clarify.

inferno

Hell or a fiery place that seems like hell; a place of destruction or great suffering.

lachrymose

Tearful; tending to induce tears; melancholic.

morbid

Marked by gloomy or unwholesome thoughts. 2. Affected by or caused by disease.

omniscient

Aware of everything that is going on; all-knowing.

palliative

Serving to make less painful or severe.

preternatural

Beyond what is natural; incapable of being explained or understood.

salutary

Promoting a beneficial effect. 2. Healthful.

abut

To be next to; to border on.

adjure

To command solemnly. 2. To advise sincerely.

descry

To catch sight of a distant object after looking carefully; to detect or discover.

desecrate

To misuse or violate something sacred.

dilettante

A person with only a superficial interest and slight knowledge of an art or other field of knowledge.

equivocal

Having more than one meaning or interpretation, usually intended to confuse. 2. Uncertain or undecided.

exhume

To dig out of the ground. 2. To recover from neglect; to revive.

extirpate

To destroy completely; to wipe out.

foible

A small fault or weakness in a person's character.

insolvent

Without the means to pay what is owed; bankrupt.

jocose

Given to joking; humorous and playful.

portal

A door or entrance, especially one that is large and imposing.

progenitor

A direct ancestor.

propitiate

To overcome distrust or hostility; to appease.

restitution

A paying back for what has been lost or damaged.

acerbic

biting or stinging in tone; sarcastic

canard

a groundless report or story; often one make up deliberately to deceive

debonair

elegant in appearance and charming in manner

deign

to lower oneself in one's own estimation; to condescend

dotage

mental deterioration associated with advanced age

foist

to impose something unwanted or unneeded on an unwilling recipient

insipid

tasteless; uninteresting

misconstrue

to misunderstand or misinterpret

narcissism

excessive admiration of oneself

overweening

excessively proud; lacking restraint

paean

a hymn of joy, praise or appreciation

repartee

conversation marked by quick and witty verbal exchanges

repine

to express deep sadness or discontent; to long for something lost

sartorial

relating to clothing, especially tailored clothing

svelte

slender and graceful; having sleek lines