English 10H - unit 8 vocab

Acuity (noun)

sharpness (particularly of the mind or sense)

synonyms: brilliance, perceptiveness

Depraved (adjective)

marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

synonyms: shameless, sinful

Esoteric (adjective)

intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

synonyms: mystical, arcane

Figment (noun)

a fabrication of the mind

synonyms: daydream, fantasy

Garner (verb)

to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use

synonyms: amass, pick up

Idiosyncrasy (noun)

a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

synonyms: mannerism, eccentricy

mundane (adjective)

earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary

synonyms: normal, prosaic

penchant (noun)

a strong attraction or inclination

synonyms: affection, tendency

sumptuous (adjective)

costly, rich, magnificent

synonyms: gorgeous, lavish

ubiquitous (adjective)

present or existing everywhere

synonyms: omnipresent, universal

agnostic (noun), (adjective)

one who believes that nothing can be known about god; a skeptic

without faith, skeptical

synonyms: unbeliever, doubter

effigy (noun)

a crude image of a despised person

synonyms: likeness, statue

equity (noun)

the state or quality of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair; the money value of a property above and beyond any mortgage or other claim

synonyms: fairness, integrity

inane (adjective)

silly, empty of meaning or value

synonyms: empty, foolish

indubitable (adjective)

certain, not to be doubted or denied

synonyms: apparent, undeniable

intermittent (adjective)

stopping and beginning again, sporadic

synonyms: infrequent, occasional

neophyte (noun)

a new convert, beginner, novice

synonyms: newcomer, rookie

surveillance (noun)

a watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation

synonyms: examination, inspection

sylvan (adjective)

pertaining to characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody

synonyms: rustic, shady

travesty (noun)

a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation

synonyms: exaggeration, satire

allay (verb)

to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

synonyms: alleviate, ease

bestial (adjective)

beast-like; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

synonyms: barbarous, savage

coterie (noun)

a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

synonyms: clique, cadre

embellish (verb)

to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

synonyms: amplify, enhance

ephemeral (adjective)

lasting only a short time, short lived

synonyms: fleeting, brief

furtive (adjective)

done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

synonyms: covert, conspiratorial

garish (adjective)

glaring; tastelessly showy or over decorated in a vulgar or offensive way

synonyms: gaudy, showy

illusory (adjective)

misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality

synonyms: false, hallucinatory

indigent (adjective)

needy, impoverished

synonyms: destitute, penniless

jettison (verb)

to cast overboard, to get rid of unnecessary or burdensome things

synonyms: abandon, unload

allege (verb)

to assert without proof or confirmation

synonyms: charge, declare

echelon (noun)

one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; and organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

synonyms: degree, tier

exacerbate (verb)

to make more violent, sever, bitter, or painful

synonyms: aggravate, heighten

irrefutable (adjective)

impossible to disprove, beyond argument

synonyms: indisputable, ironclad

juggernaut (noun)

a massive and inescapable force or object that crushed whatever is in its path

synonyms: barrage, cavalcade

lackadaisical (adjective)

lacking in spirit or interest, half-hearted

synonyms: apathetic, passive

litany (noun)

any repetitive chant; a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating responses from the congregation

synonyms: catalogue, repetition

macabre (adjective)

grisly, gruesome; gory; having death as a subject

synonyms: frightening, morbid

paucity (noun)

an inadequate quantity, scarcity

synonyms: insufficiency, smallness

portend (verb)

to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of; predict

synonyms: foretell, presage

raze (verb)

to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

synonyms: demolish, obliterate

recant (verb)

to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has perviously been committed; renounce

synonyms: renounce, retract

saturate (verb)

to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

synonyms: douse, infuse

saturnine (adjective)

of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

synonyms: depressed, glum

slough (verb)

to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary

synonyms: exuviate, reject