Elite Vocab 301-400

defunct

(adj) having ceased to exist or live

circumscribe

(v) to form or mark the limits of; to restrict or limit severely

anarchy

(n) the absense of government

cornucopia

(n) an abundance

extant

(adj) currently or actually existing

vigilant

(adj) alert and watchful, esp. for what is dangerous

abstinence

(n) the act of voluntarily doing without something

brood

(v) to be deep in thought; to think over moodily and at length

chagrin

(n) feeling of embarrassment because of failure or disappointment

infamous

(adj) having a bad reputation

season

(v) to make competent through experience; to accustom

petulant

(adj) impatient or irritable, esp. over a minor annoyance

renege

(v) to fail to carry out a promise

hangar

(n) a structure used for housing aircraft

egregious

(adj) outstanding for undesirable qualities; remarkably bad

polyglot

(n) one who speaks many languages

(adj) speaking many languages

acclimate

(v) to make comfortable in a new environment; to adapt to

incorrigible

(adj) unable to be corrected or reformed

frank

(adj) open and sincere; straightforward

lucrative

(adj) producing wealth; profitable

check

(v) to restrain or block

magnanimous

(adj) generous; noble in mind

protégé

(n) one whose welfare, training, or career is promoted by another person

pacify

(v) to make peaceful; to restore calm

insular

(adj) narrow in outlook; provincial

eon

(n) a long period of time

obdurate

(adj) not easily moved to pity or sympathy

deplore

(v) to feel or express strong disapproval of

larder

(n) a place (e.g., a pantry or cellar) where food is stored

remnant

(n) a small amount left over after the rest has been used; a surviving trace

novel

(adj) strikingly new

indigent

(adj) poor; needy; destitute

abeyance

(n) a suspension of activity

gripe

(v) to complain constantly or naggingly

mirth

(n) gladness, esp. when expressed as laughter

mausoleum

(n) a huge tomb

forlorn

(adj) appearing sad because abandoned; in pitiful condition; almost without hope

tout

(v) to solicit customers; to praise or recommend highly

rhapsody

(n) a state of great happiness; such as state expressed in speech or writing

adjourn

(v) to suspend until a later, stated time

impassive

(adj) not feeling emotion; not showing emotion

accrue

(v) to come as a gain; to increase

martyr

(n) one who chooses to die rather than to give up religious beliefs, or one who suffers greatly to further a cause

byline

(n) a line at the head of a newspaper article carrying the author's name

haggle

(v) to argue, as over terms or price

frugal

(adj) careful in spending money or resources

caste

(n) a rigid and hereditary social class

timid

(adj) easily frightened; lacking self

invigorate

(v) to give strength and energy to

harbor

(v) to give shelter; to entertain or nourish

nepotism

(n) showing favortism to relatives

loiter

(v) to stand about without purpose; to delay

compress

(n) a pad of folded cloth for applying pressure, heat, etc.

tenacious

(adj) extremely persistent; stubborn; relentless; holding firmly; cohesive

accede

(v) to agree with something

epitome

(n) a representative example of a type

amiable

(adj) friendly and agreeable; sociable

relish

(v) to enjoy

desolate

(adj) let alone; lonely; deserted

happy

(adj) fortunate; being especially well adapted

arid

(adj) dry and barren; not interesting

faze

(v) to disturb; to disconcert

repent

(v) to feel remorse for a past action

byproduct

(n) a side

refractory

(adj) stubbornly resistant to control, authority, or treatment

elegy

(n) a poem that mourns a death; a composition (e.g., a piece of music) that resembles such a poem in mood

hallmark

(n) any mark or symbol of genuineness or high quality

rebuff

(v) to refuse someone; to reject an offer

perfidious

(adj) marked by extreme treachery

impeach

(v) to formally charge (an official) with wrongdoing; to discredit

desultory

(adj) lacking a plan or purpose; unmethodical

torso

(n) the trunk of the human body

cordial

(adj) warm and friendly; polite and respectful

intrinsic

(adj) relating to the essential nature of a something

unkempt

(adj) sloppy; messy; unclean

headstrong

(adj) determined to have one's own way; stubbornly willful

euphony

(n) pleasing sound, esp. of words

vortex

(n) a flow of fluid around an axis, like a whirlpool

aviary

(n) a large enclosure for keeping birds

incipient

(adj) beginning to appear or be noticed

medley

(n) a mixture; an arrangement of songs performed together

amenity

(n) pleasantness; something increasing comfort

acrid

(adj) harsh; sarcastic; bitter to the taste

infatuated

(adj) experiencing an unreasonable passion or attraction

parched

(adj) very thirsty; dried up because of the heat

affluence

(n) wealth

spat

(n) a small argument or dispute

reminisce

(v) to recall the past, esp. fondly

keen

(adj) having a sharp edge; perceptive

verbatim

(adj) word for word

pompous

(adj) characterized by excessive self

pithy

(adj) relating to the central part of something; economically phrased

methodical

(adj) done in an orderly, systematic way

obfuscate

(v) to make difficult to understand; to make indistinct

desist

(v) to cease; stop

penchant

(n) a strong liking

fastidious

(adj) showing or acting with careful attention to detail; not easy to please; very critical or discriminating

malaise

(n) a vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness

sporadic

(adj) occuring irregularly