English 10H vocab units 14 and 15

beatific

beatific

blissful: rendering or making blessed

behemoth

a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance

blandishment

anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing

cacophonous

harsh-sounding, raucous, discordand, dissonant

chicanery

trickery, deceptive practices or tactics, double-dealing

consign

to give over to another’s care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use

coup

a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership

euphemism

a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

febrile

feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic

gainsay

to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose

imminent

about to happen, threatening

innate

natural, inborn, inherent; built-in

loath

unwilling, reluctant, disinclined

manifest

clear, evident to the eyes or mind; to show plainly, exhibit, evince; a list of cargo and/or passenger

minutiae

small or trivial details, trifling matters

moratorium

a suspension of activity; an official waiting period; an authorized period of delay

nostrum

an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness

pariah

one who is rejected by a social group or organization

visionary

not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; one given to far-fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight

wizened

dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)

amenity

that which is pleasant or agreeable; attractive features, customs, etc.

aperture

an opening, gap, hole; orifice

dissidence

a difference of opinion; discontent

epicurean

devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease; with discriminating tastes; a person with discriminating tastes

improvident

not thrifty; failing to plan ahead

iniquity

wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act

inviolable

sacred; of such a character that it must not be broken, injured, or profaned

mutable

open to or capable of change, fickle

nascent

just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence

obeisance

a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; deference, homage

panegyric

formal or elaborate praise; a tribute

pillory

a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule; to expose to public contempt or ridicule

pittance

a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion

presage

to foreshadow or point to a future event; to predict; a warning or indication of the future

progeny

descendants, offspring, children, followers, disciples

promulgate

to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide

rectitude

uprightness, righteousness; correctness

restive

restless, hard to manage, balky

seraphic

angelic, heavenly, celestial

subsist

to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue