Vocabulary Workshop Level G Units 7-9

allay

(v.)to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

bestial

(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

convivial

(adj.)festive, sociable, aving fun together, genial

coterie

(n.) a circleof aquantances; a close knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

couterpart

(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complment

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

effrontery

(n.) shameless boldness, impudence

embelish

(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

furtive

(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

garish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated ina vulgar or offensive way

illusory

(adj.) misleading, deceptive; llacking in or not based on reality

allege

(v.) to assert without poof or confirmation

arrant

(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

badinage

(n.) light and playful conversation

conciliate

(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

countermand

(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

echelon

(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or feild of activity; an organizd military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

exacerbate

(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

fatuous

(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

irrefutable

(adj.) immposible to disprove; beyond argument

juggernaut

(n.) a massive and in escapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

lackadaisical

(adj.) lacking in spirit oor interest, halfhearted

litany

(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list

macabre

(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

paucity

(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

portend

(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of

raze

(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

recant

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

saturate

(v.) to saok thoroughly, fill to capacity

saturnine

(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

slough

(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression

acclamation

(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval

bucolic

(adj.) characteristics of the countryside, rural; relating to shepards and cowherds, pastoral

calumniate

(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously

chary

(adj.) extremely cautious, hessitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident

collusion

(n.) secret agreement or cooperation

dilettante

(n.) a dabble in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial

imperturable

(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady

increment

(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition

mandate

(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order

paltry

(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy

paroxysm

(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion

pedantry

(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details

peregrination

(n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country

redolent

(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura

refulgent

(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent

shibboleth

(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism

tyro

(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill

unremitting

(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless

vacillate

(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will

vituperative

(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding

indigent

(adj.) needy, impoverished

inordinate

(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

misanthrope

(n.) a person who hates or despises people

pertinacious

(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

raiment

(n.) clothing, garments