English Vocabulary Words Unit 2

Assuage: (verb) -make less intense; to soften, mitigate, calm, appease

The new security plans were introduced to assuage public concerns about crime, but many people remained skeptical.

Benevolent: (adjective)- desirous of the good of others; of a kindly disposition

The benevolent old woman was loved and respected by many for her compassion towards the poor.

Bon mot: (noun)- a clever or witty saying

The rapper had a clever bon mot for every line the public threw at him.

Chattel: (noun) a personal possession; a movable possession

The law does not consider houses or land to be chattel as they cannot be moved.

Expurgate: (verb) to purify or amend by removing what is thought objectionable

The editor needed to expurgate the offensive content from the historical text for the modern audience.

Flivver: (noun) a cheap car or aircraft

The man drove his old flivver, a rusty car held together by tape and a prayer.

Indigenous: (adjective) originating or occurring naturally in a particular place

Potatoes are not indigenous to Ireland and were brought over during expeditions to South America.

Interlocutor: (noun) one who takes part in a dialogue, conversation, or discussion

The woman was forced to be the interlocutor between her arguing friends and her family.

Malevolent: (adjective) having or showing a wish to do evil to others

The malevolent dictator ruled over the helpless country with an iron fist and unrelenting control

Nebulous: (adjective) in the form of a cloud or haze

Early assessments of the planets were thought to have formed from nebulous gas and dust.

Obstreperous: (adjective) noisily or aggressively resisting control; turbulent; unruly

The obstreperous crowd became upset after the concert was delayed by technical difficulties and eventually cancelled.

Predilection: (noun) a preference or special liking for something

The man’s predilection for fine art became apparent when the group visited the art museum.

Prevaricate: (verb) to speak or act in an evasive way; to deviate from straightforwardness

When questioned by the police officers, the criminal continued to prevaricate about his involvement in the crime

Priggish: (adjective) excessively precise in matters of learning; conduct

The professor was disliked by many students because of his priggish style of critiquing art.

Repertoire: (noun) a collection of plays, dances, or pieces that a company or a performer knows

The ballerina performed a complex repertoire of ballet moves in front of the stunned audience

Tyrannical: (adjective) exercising power in a cruel and random way

The tyrannical dictator forced his policies and regulations onto the people of the helpless country.

Urbane: (adjective) of a person; elegant and refined in manners

The king’s urbane demeanor, educated conversational skills, and poised attire put the townspeople at ease               

Unsullied: (adjective) not spoiled; not impure

The fish under the ice swam in clear unsullied water, untouched by the outside world.

Vacuous: (adjective) empty of ideas; unintelligent; expressionless

The students stared vacuously at the professor who expected the class to understand the lesson

Vapid: (adjective) offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging

The students felt that the class was vapid and provided no challenging materials or substance.