USIH Summer Vocab

Abundance

A very large quantity of something

Adept

Skilled; expert at

Ambivalence

The state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

Agitate

To disturb or upset

Abysmal

Extremely bad, appalling

Abdicate

To give up (as a position of authority) formally

Abolition

The doing away with something by formal action

Attack

The act or action of setting upon with force or violence

Apprehension

Suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune

Ascent

Rising to a higher rank or position

Bias

An attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting especially without considering any other possibilities

Bolster

To hold up or serve as a foundation for

Contention

A point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument

Contend

To strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties

Consequence

Something produced by a cause

Constituency

The people and interests that an elected official represents

Concede

To acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly

Consented

To give assent or approval

Commerce

The exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place

Culmination

The highest or a climactic or decisive point

Conciliating

Tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility

Daunting

Seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation; intimidating

Dissent

Difference of opinion

Descent

An inclination downward

Dire

Extremely serious or urgent

Disparage

Regard or represent as being of little worth

Disillusionment

Being dissatisfied or defeated in expectation or hope

Enumerate

To ascertain the number of

Egalitarian

Relating to or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities

Enfranchisement

The giving of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote

Facilitate

Make (an action or process) easy or easier

Impartial

Treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just

Incite

Encourage or stir up

Institution

A society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose

Lucrative

Producing a great deal of profit

Legitimacy

Conformity to the law or to rules

Laissez faire

A policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interferin.

Malicious

Intending or intended to do harm

Nullify

Make legally null and void; invalidate

Postulate

Suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief

Qualitative

Data in the form of words

Quanitative

Numerical data

Repudiate

To disown, reject, or deny the validity of

Rhetoric

The art of using language effectively and persuasively

Rescind

To cancel

Satirical

Mocking

Squalid

Filthy, wretched, debased

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states

Surplus

A situation in which quantity supplied is greater than quantity demanded

Suffrage

The right to vote

Tact

Skill in dealing with people in difficult situations

Temperance

Restraint or moderation, especially in regards to alcohol or food

Unilateral

One-sided

Undermine

To weaken

Veracity

Truthfulness

Warrant

A legal paper, issued by a court, giving police permission to make an arrest, seizure, or search