Term 1 Words

Words from Merriam Webster's Calendar

agog (a)

full of intense interest or excitement: eager

(Fans were ____ over the rumor…)

overweening (a)

1 - arrogant, presumptuous

2 - immoderate, exaggerated

(___ actors who think they are above taking advice and criticism)

(___ desire for wealth and fame)

glean (v)

1: to collect little bits of information or material

2: to find out

(she ___ her data from various sources)

(the paralegal ___ information…)

volatile (a)

1: tending to erupt into violent action

2: difficult to capture: evanescent, transitory

(one of the few ___ chemicals)

(…when the stock market was still ___)

penchant (n)

a strong and continued inclination (liking)

(Her ___ for mathematics helped her become an engineer)

nary (a)

not one, not any

(I must have it back as I have ___ other copy)

wend (v)

1: to direct one’s course (direct)

2: to proceed on one’s way (travel)

(Hikers ___ along the marked trail)

(We ___ed our way through the narrow street)

scavenger (n)

1: one that scavenges (as a garbage of junk collector)

2: an organism that feeds on decaying matter

(My uncle, a habitual ___…)

steadfast (a)

1: firmly fixed in place/not subject to change

2: firm in belief (loyal)

(the mayor is a ___ supporter of…)

olfactory (a)

relating to smell

(butterflies smell with their antennae, which are covered in ___ receptors)

bildungsroman (n)

a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character

(the previous novel was a ___…)

cerulean (a)

resembling the blue of the sky

(a ___ lake)

albeit (conj)

even though, although

(included in a major movie, ___ in a minor cameo)

abject (a)

1: sunk to or existing in a low state or condition, very bad

2: cast down in spirit, showing hopelessness or resignation

(living in ___ poverty)

(giving an ___ nod)

civil rights (n pl)

the non-political rights of a citizen, especially the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to US citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments.

(Martin Luther King Jr. said ‘In our glorious fight for ___…’)

refluent (a)

flowing back, ebbing

(the ___ waters of the Mississippi River)

continual (a)

1: continuing indefinitely without interruption

2: recurring in steady, usually rapid, succession

(there is ___ daylight)

(a history of ___ invasions)

a cappella (av/a)

without instrumental accompaniment

(The choir sang the chants ___.)

wherefore

1: for what reason or purpose : why

2: therefore

(it was getting late, and ___ we decided to move on)

superjacent (a)

lying above or upon: overlying

(___ rocks)

satiety (a)

1: the state of being fed beyond capacity, fullness

2: revulsion or disgust caused by overindulgence or excess

(Liz reached ___ and felt content)

highfalutin (a)

1: pretentious, fancy

2: using language that is heightened by artificial means: pompous

(known for making ___ comments in her reviews)

orientate (v)

1: arrange a definite point on a compass

2: acquaint with the situation or environment

3: to direct towards the interests of a particular group

(the program is designed to ___ new students to the college)

officinal (a)

tending or used to cure disease or relieve pain : medicinal

(the plant turned out to have ___ properties)

cumulate (v)

1: to gather into a pile

2: to combine into one

3: to build up by addition of new material

(scoring will be ____d over the competition)

trepid (a)

timorous, fearful

(if I wasn’t feeling ___, I might have enjoyed joining the other campers)

frugal (a)

sparing or economical with money or food

(Dasha tried to be ___ with her weekly paycheck)

snaffle (v)

to obtain, especially through devious or irregular means

(malicious code ___ing usernames and passwords)

vibrissa (n)

1a: stiff hairs in snout of many mammals, 1b: or in a human

2: one of the bristly feathers near the mouth of a bird

(manatee’s lips are studded with ____ae)

tortuous (a)

1: marked with repeating twists and turns, winding

2a: marked with devious or indirect tactics, crooked, tricks, 2b: circuitous

(___ path, ___ conspiracy, ___ legal forms)

fiasco (n)

a complete failure

(the party was a ___)

rectify (v)

1: to set right, remedy

2: to purify alcohol through repeated distillation

3: to correct by removing errors, adjust

(he promised to ___ the situation)

hibernaculum (n)

a shelter occupied during winter by a dormant animal

(the cave is a hibernaculum for bats)

sere (adj)

being dried and withered

(the side of the island with ___ grasslands and goats)

anucleate (adj)

lacking a cell nucleus

(platelets are small ___ cells that assist in blood clotting)

pandemonium (n)

a wild uproar, commotion

(___ ensued as drivers struggled to get home)

zephyr (n)

a gentle breeze (usually from the west)

also: any lightweight fabrics or clothing

(the prevailing southwestern ___)

rendition (n)

The act or result of rendering something (performance or interpretation, depiction or translation)

(Her ___ was strongly soulful)

mendacious (a)

given to or characterized by deception, falsehood, or divergence from the truth

(exaggerations and ___ claims)

nefarious (a)

flagrantly wicked or impious: evil

(a ___ scheme)

ambigram (n)

flippy word read both ways

(mom into wow)

winsome (a)

1: generally pleasing and engaging (often because of a childlike charm)

2: cheerful, lighthearted

(a bright ___ woman)

vernissage (n)

a private showing or preview of an art exhibition

(a ___ during which people can mingle with the artists)

sempiternal (a)

of never-ending duration: eternal

(A ___ sadness from the experience)

osculate (v)

to kiss

(a young couple ___ing beneath a tree on Valentine’s day)

quadrennial (a)

1: consisting of or lasting for four years

2: happening every four years

(The Olympics is an ___ event)

writhe (v)

1: to move or proceed with twists and turns

2: to twist from pain or struggling

3: to suffer keenly

(the earthworm ___d across the driveway)

hew (v)

1: chop or cut (of an axe)

2: to make a shape from something with an axe

3: to conform to or adhere

(never one to ___ to policies)

flavedo (n)

the coloured outer layer of a citrus fruit

(the yellow peel of a lemon is called the ___)

agnostic (a)

1: relating to or being one who is not committed to believing the existence or nonexistence of God or a god.

2: noncommittal, undogmatic

3: not preferring a particular device or system

(he was ___ when it comes to favouring standard or daylight time)

xeriscape (n)

a landscaping method developed for arid/semiarid climates, using water-conserving methods (drought tolerant plants, mulch, etc.)

(1/3 of an acre devoted to ___ landscaping)

castigate (v)

to subject to severe punishment, reproof or criticism

(the judge ___ed the two young defendants for vandalism)

garrison finish (n)

a finish where the winner comes from behind at the end

(the team had a reputation for ___es)

fleer (n)

a word or look or derision or mockery

(she half-expected to be hit with a collective ___)

rugose (a)

1 - full of wrinkles

2 - having the veinlets sunken and the spaces between elevated

(the leaves of the plant are dark green and __)

scuttlebutt (n)

1a: a cask on ship to contain freshwater for a day’s use

b: a drinking fountain on a ship or naval installation

2: rumor, gossip

(stopped by the office to catch up on the latest ___)

reprehensible (a)

worthy of reprehension or blame, culpable

(the newspaper’s accusations cited bribery as ___)

bifurcate (v)

to divide (or cause to) into two branches or paths

(the reconstruction would ___ the company)

absinthe (n)

green or sometimes colourless liquor flavoured with wormwood, anise, etc. also a similar liquor made without wormwood

(sip ___ with Hemingway)

renovate (v)

to restore into a former better state (as a building or room)

or to reinvigorate, restore to life.

(completely ___ed for sale)

pejorative (a)

having negative connotations, especially, tending to disparage or belittle

(making ___ remarks about teammates)

adulate (v)

1: to praise excessively

(a man ___ed by the public)

pacify (v)

1a: to soothe b: appease

2a: to settle, restore b: subdue

(___ concerned citizens)

zeitgeber (n)

an environmental event that provides the stimulus to reset their biological clock.

(light is our key __)

furtive (a)

1a: attempting to be quiet and secretive b: stealthy, sly

2: stolen

(coworkers exchanged ___ glances)

crural (a)

relating to the leg or thigh

(___ nerve damage)

impudicity (n)

lack of modesty, shamelessness

the ___ displayed by businesses capitalizing off the tragedy)

ramose (a)

consisting of or having branches

(___ corals grow upwards)

gossamer (a)

light and tenuous

(n) a thin bit of web

(a few ___ clouds)

heliolatry (n)

sun worship

(cultures that practiced ___)

patina (n)

1: a green film formed on copper from moist air

2: appearance or aura

3: a superficial covering

(a ___ of old-world quaintness)

trichotillomania (n)

an abnormal desire to pull out your hair

(surrounding her struggles with ___)

deepfake (n)

an image or recording that’s been altered to misrepresent someone as doing something they didn’t do

(it was a ___ of the director’s voice)

quotidian (a)

1: daily

2: everyday, belonging to each day

3: commonplace, ordinary

(___ details of village life)

hegira (n)

a journey undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation: exodus

(embarked on a ___ that would carry them far from their home)

fugitive (n)

someone who’s running away to avoid be captured: usually by the police

(harboring a ___ to prevent his son’s arrest)

Erin go bragh (n)

Ireland Forever

(as it’s St. Patricks day, let’s say ___!)

tonsorial (a)

relating to a barber, or their work

(provided the __ team the chairs)

propagate (v)

1: to reproduce (or cause to, biologically)

2: to cause to spread out, extend

(new ways to ___ plants without seeds)

comely (a)

1: pleasurably conforming to notions of good appearance

2: having a pleasing appearance

(an audition filled with ___ young people)

by and large (adv)

on the whole, in general

(but ___ the play was a success)

rash (a)

marked by haste and lack of deliberation or caution

(the purchase of the fixer-upper was a ___ decision)

deglutition (n)

the process of swallowing

(which makes ___ painful)

Panglossian

marked by viewing that this is for the best in the best of all worlds: excessively optimistic

(her ___ outlook baffled her more pessimistic friends)

arboreal (a)

relating to or resembling a tree

2: inhabiting or frequenting trees

(most common ___ snakes)

newfangled (a)

1:attracted to novelty

2: of the newest style/kind

(sells all kinds of ___ gadgets)

fret (v)

1: to gnaw, corrode, fray

2: to become worried, agitated

daedal (a)

1: skillful, intricate, artistic

2: adorned with many things

(makes ___ use of lighting effects)

peloton (n)

the main body of riders in a bicycle race

(he broke away from the ___)

hive mind (n)

the collective thoughts of a group, functioning as a single mind

(feedback from the ___)

nascent (a)

coming or having recently come into existence

(her ___ career as a film director)

placebo (n)

an inert medication used for psychological effect or comparison in an experiment

(the researchers gave a ___ to the second group)

nondescript (a)

1: belonging to no particular class or kind

2: lacking distinctive or interesting qualities

(she works in one of those ___ office buildings downtown)

palmy (a)

1: marked by prosperity, flourishing

2: abounding in or bearing palms

(he lives in a ___ second life)

vicious circle (n)

a chain of events where the response to a difficulty creates a new problem, aggravating the original difficulty

(falling sales led to a ___)

tchotchke (n)

knickknack, trinket

(every shelf held ___ and gewgaws and other tacky trinkets)

evitable (a)

capable of being avoided

(the accident was ___)

farraginous (a)

consisting of a confused mixture: formed of various materials of no order or arrangement

(the attic contained a ___ assortment of…)

nostrum (n)

a usually questionable remedy or scheme: panacea

(a costly and ineffective ___)

enigmatic (a)

relating to or resembling an enigma: mysterious

(the universe’s ___ phenomena)