Vocabulary Workshop Level D Units 7-12

Vocabulary definitions from units 7-12 of Vocabulary Workshop Level D.

adieu

(int.) "Farewel l!" (n.) a farewel l

advent

(n.) an arrival; a coming into place or view

apex

(n.) the highest point, tip

assimilate

(v.) to absorb ful ly or make one's own; to adopt as one's own; to adapt ful ly

bogus

(adj.) false, counterfeit

exorbitant

(adj.) unreasonably high; excessive

interim

(n.) the time between; (adj.) temporary, coming between two points in time

inundate

(v.) to flood, overflow; to overwhelm by numbers or size

malign

(v.) to speak evil of, slander; (adj.) evil

meander

(v.) to wander about, wind about; (n.) a sharp turn or twist

metropolis

(n.) a large city; the chief city of an area

momentous

(adj.) very important

obstreperous

(adj.) noisy; unruly, disorderly

pensive

(adj.) thoughtful; melancholy

perilous

(adj.) dangerous

shoddy

(adj.) of poor quality; characterized by inferior workmanship

sprightly

(adj.) lively, ful l of life; spicy, flavorful

surly

(adj.) angry and bad-tempered; rude

tirade

(n.) a long, angry speech, usual ly very critical

vagrant

(n.) an idle wanderer, tramp; (adj.) wandering aimlessly

assurance

a pledge; freedom from doubt, self-confidence

asylum

an institution for the care of children, elderly people, etc.; a place of safety

console

(v.) to comfort; (n.) the keyboard of an organ; a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device

dilate

to make larger or wider; to expand upon

dross

refuse, waste products

dwindle

to lessen, diminish

flippant

lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

immunity

resistance to disease; freedom from some charge or obligation

institute

(v.) to establish, set up; (n.) an organization for the promotion of learning

liability

a debt; something disadvantageous

preposterous

ridiculous, senseless

pugnacious

quarrelsome, fond of fighting

rabid

furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies

realm

a kingdom; a region or field of study

rejuvenate

to make young again; to make like new

remunerate

to reward, pay, reimburse

sparse

meager, scant; scattered

sterling

genuine, excel lent; made of silver of standard fineness

venture

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking; (v.) to expose to danger; to dare

warp

(v.) to twist out of shape; (n.) an abnormality

auxiliary

(adj.) giving assistance or support; (n.) a helper, aid

candid

(adj.) frank, sincere; impartial; unposed

cubicle

(n.) a smal l room or compartment

drudgery

(n.) work that is hard and tiresome

envoy

(n.) a representative or messenger (as of a government)

escalate

(v.) to elevate; to increase in intensity

expedient

(n.) a means to an end; (adj.) advantageous, useful

feign

(v.) to pretend

flair

(n.) a natural quality, talent, or skil l; a distinctive style

grievous

(adj.) causing sorrow or pain; serious

heterogeneous

(adj.) composed of different kinds, diverse

horde

(n.) a vast number (as of people); a throng

impel

(n.) to force, drive forward

incredulous

(adj.) disbelieving, skeptical

inscribe

(v.) to write or engrave; to enter a name on a list

monologue

(n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person

prognosis

(n.) a forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease or situation

rasping

(adj.) with a harsh, grating sound; (n.) a harsh sound

repugnant

(adj.) offensive, disagreeable, distasteful

scuttle

(v.) to sink a ship by cutting holes in it; to get rid of something in a decisive way; to run hastily, scurry; (n.) a pail

adept

(adj.) thoroughly skil led; (n.) an expert

aspire

(v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

bleak

(adj.) bare, dreary, dismal

chide

(v.) to blame; scold

despicable

(adj.) worthy of scorn, contemptible

diminutive

(adj.) smal l, smal ler than most others of the same type

emancipate

(v.) to free from slavery; to release or liberate

erroneous

(adj.) incorrect, containing mistakes

exploit

(v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit; (n.) a feat, deed

extemporaneous

(adj.) made or delivered on the spur of the moment

impair

(v.) to make imperfect, damage, harm

invincible

(adj.) not able to be defeated, unbeatable

languid

(adj.) drooping; without energy, sluggish

mire

(n.) mud; wet, swampy ground; a tough situation; (v.) to get stuck

obtrusive

(adj.) forward; undesirably prominent; thrust out

preamble

(n.) an introduction to a speech or piece of writing

render

(v.) to cause to become; to perform; to deliver official ly; to process, extract

rugged

(adj.) rough, irregular; severe, stern; strong; stormy

skeptical

(adj.) inclined to doubt; slow to accept something as true

slipshod

(adj.) untidy in dress, personal habits, etc.; careless, sloppy

brevity

(n.) shortness

comport

(v.) to conduct or bear oneself, behave; to be in agreement

concise

(adj.) expressing much in a few words

demure

(adj.) sober or serious in manner, modest

depreciation

(n.) a lessening in value; a belittling

deteriorate

(v.) to lower in quality or value; to wear away

divulge

(v.) to tel l, reveal; to make public

enlightened

(adj.) free from ignorance and false ideas; possessing sound understanding

forestall

(v.) to prevent by acting first

garble

(v.) to distort in such a way as to make unintel ligible

proponent

(n.) one who puts forward a proposal; one who supports a cause or belief

quaver

(v.) to shake, tremble; to tril l

recoil

(v.) to spring back, shrink; (n.) the act of springing back

recoup

(v.) to make up for, regain

reek

(n.) an unpleasant smel l; (v.) to give off unpleasant smel ls; to give a strong impression

relentless

(adj.) unyielding, harsh, without pity

rivulet

(n.) a smal l stream

squander

(v.) to spend foolishly, waste

staccato

(adj.) detached or disconnected in sound or style

statute

(n.) a law