Vocab Units 8-17

MTHS Honors Humanities Final~ good luck to all!

cavort

v. behave in a festive or high-spirited manner

cajole

v. persuade with flattery, appeals, or soothing words

contraband

n. smuggled goods

perpetuate

v. to make something continue indefinitely (positive or negative)

innate

adj. inborn, native, inherent

insinuate

v. suggest or hint something negative

dichotomy

n. a contrast between two things that are entirely different

wily

adj. sly; clever and decieving

affluent

adj. having a great deal of money

elude

v. evade, escape

harbinger

n. person or thing that comes before a specific event

integral

adj. necessary for completeness

poignant

adj. strongly felt; usually sadnesss

enigma

n. puzzling or inexplicable occurence or situation

litany

n. long or tedious account

quell

v. to extinguish, put down, suppress

loquacious

adj. being very talkative

prudent

adj. cautious; exercising good judgement

emulate

v. equal or beat, typically through imitation

integrity

n. adherance to moral and ethical principles

accentuate

v. stress or single out as important

repugnant

adj. extremely distasteful, unacceptable

deviate

v. depart from established course or standards

draconian

adj. unusually severe or cruel

circumvent

v. to go around or bypass; to avoid failure through deception

flourish

v. grow vigorously

xenophile

n. person who like foreigners or foreign things

nascent

adj. beginning to exist or develop

redundant

adj. not needed or useful; unnecessary

meticulous

adj. greatly attentive to detail

rudimentary

adj. involving or limited to basic principles

pyrrhic

adj. describing a victory that comes with a heavy cost

laconic

adj. using as few words as possible when speaking

manifesto

n. a public declaration of beliefs

incessant

adj. continuing without interupption; unending

paradigm

n. widely accepted truth or beliefs; a typical pattern or model

epiphany

n. moment of great or sudden revelation

galvanize

v. stimulate or startle into activity

voracious

adj. craving or consuming large amounts

proliferate

v. increase in number or spread rapidly

ambiguity

n. uncertain of meaning or intention

ambiance

n. atmosphere or mood of a place

subterfuge

n. a plan used to trick or decieve

extirpate

v. pull up or remove, as if by the roots

propensity

n. natural tendency or inclination

onus

n. difficult or disagreeable task, burden or obligation

attrition

n. the action of wearing down resistance

rogue

n./adj. a dishonest person; deviating from the norm

empathy

n. the ability to understand and share feelings of another

inculate

v. implant by repeated statement; cause someone to accept an idea

abscond

v. depart in a secret and sudden manner

skulk

v. move stealthily; lie in hiding

plausible

adj. crdible, believable, seems worthy of acceptance

boon

n. timely blessing or benefit

aberration

n. a deviation from normal, not typical

byzantine

adj. inflexible or complicated (sometimes as a result of age)

exemplar

n. an ideal model to be copied or imitated

juxtapose

v. to place side by side for comparison or contrast

machination

n. a crafty plot designed with a sinister end in mind

ostensible

adj. appearing to be true, but not actually true

slugabed

n. one who stays in bed until a late hour, a sluggard

troglodyte

n. one who is regarded as out of date, reclusive, reactionary or brutish; also a cave dweller

legerdemain

n. a display of skill, trickery, artful deception

motley

adj. incongruously varied in appearance or character

verbicide

n. the act of or the person who willfully distorts the original meaning of a word

prattle

v. to babble; to talk without meaning

bequest

n. something left to someone in a will; a legacy

indolent

adj. inclined to avoid exertion; lazy

crony

n. a close friend or companion

extrude

v. to force out, as through a small opening

panacea

n. a remedy for all ills or difficulties

risible

adj. provoking laughter; worthy of laughter

perfidy

n. the act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow

conundrum

n. a confusing or difficult problem or question

sallow

adj. grayish, greenish, yellow color suggesting sickliness

hubbub

n. a loud mixture of sound or voices; activity

ruminate

v. to think again and again, to muse, meditate, ponder, reflect

caterwaul

v. to protest or complain noisily

vim

n. power; force; energy; spirit; activity; vigor

gearhead

n. a technology enthusiast, a person with a deep interest in the inner workings of things

rakish

adj. smart; jaunty; dashing

futz

n./v. pass time in idleness; or a fool, simpleton

gravitas

n. high seriousness

bivouac

n./v. an encampment (usually military); to make camp

lackadaisical

adj. lacking spirit or liveliness; showing lack of interest; listless

stymie

v. hinder, block, thwart

foment

v. instigate or foster; promote the growth or development of

boondoggle

n./v. work; to do work of little or no value merely to look busy