SAT Vocab Unit 20

fervid

ardent; zealous; hot

belied

contracted

spat

squabble; minor dispute; minor quarrel

flora

plant life

insipid

flavorless; bland

wax

increase gradually (as the moon); grow

shaving

very thin piece, usually of wood (cut from a surface with a sharp blade)

husband

use sparingly; conserve; save

intolerable

insufferable, unable to be endured

prance

move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)

bucolic

relating to the country, rustic

conjugal

relating to marriage

supersede

to replace with something better

manipulative

deceptive; skillful at handling people

exonerate

to prove innocent

fervent

passionate

bungle

mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior

incendiary

inflammatory, provoking

reprehensible

very bad

carapace

shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)

interrogate

question closely; cross-examine; cross-question

bigotry

stubborn intolerance

magnanimous

generous

indentation

notch; deep recess

alluvial

pertaining to soil deposits left by running water

interlocutors

people involved in a discussion

liquidate

settle accounts; pay off (a debt); clear up; eliminate; kill or abolish

conduit

aqueduct; passageway for fluids

oversee

watch over and direct; supervise

derogatory

deriding, insulting

anthropologist

student of the history and science of humankind

unique

without an equal; single in kind

expound

explain

cum laude

with honors

inefficacious

ineffective

larder

pantry; place where food is kept

hypocytosis

lack of red blood cells

cleft

split

fester

rankle; produce irritation or resentment; (of a cut or wound) generate pus or rot;

witless

foolish, silly

dinghy

small boat (often ship’s boat)

expedite

hasten; make go faster

raucous

harsh and unpleasant; (of people) disorderly and boisterous

circumvent

to prevent by going around restrictions, to head off

centurion

roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers)

rationalize

justify, reason out

proxy

authorized agent; authority to act for another

margin

border; room; allowance beyond what is needed; Ex. margin of safety

virtuouso

master, genius

gambit

gamble, an opening move in a fight