Unit 13 Level G Vocab

abstruse

extremely difficult to understand

affront

an open or intentional insult

canard

a false rumor, fabricated story

captious

excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism

cognizant

aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction

contrite

regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent

cynosure

the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct

decorous

well behaved, dignified, socially proper

deign

to think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do

desiccated

thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting

efficacy

the power to produce a desired result

engender

to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form

ethereal

light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly

facade

the front or face of a building; a surface appearance

ghoulish

revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead

incongruous

not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible

machination

a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end

mesmerize

to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch

opprobrium

disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach

putative

generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred