vocabulary workshop level g unit 13-15

abstruse

(adj.) extremely difficult to understand

affront

(n.) an open or intentional insult; a slight; (v.) to insult to one's face; to face in defiance , confront

canard

(n.) a false rumor, fabricated story

captious

(adj.) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up

cognizant

(adj.) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction

contrite

(adj.) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt

cynosure

(n.) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct

decorous

(adj.) well behaved, dignified, socially proper

deign

(v.) to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something

desiccated

(adj.) thoroughly dried out; arid and uninteresting

efficacy

(n.) the power to produce a desired result

engender

(v.) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence

ethereal

(adj.) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly

facade

(n.) the front of a building; a surface appearance

ghoulish

(adj.) revolting in an unnatural or morbid way

incongruous

(adj.) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible

machination

(n.) a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some end

mesmerize

(v.) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch

opprobrium

(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach

putative

(adj.) generally regarded as such; reputed; inferred

Beatific

(adj.) blissful; rendering or making blessed

Behemoth

(n.) a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance

Blandishment

(n.) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing

Cacophonous

(adj.) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant

Chicanery

(n.) trickery, deceptive practices or tactices, double-dealing

Consign

(v.) to give over to another's care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use

Coup

(n.) a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership

Euphemism

(n.) a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

Fenrile

(adj.) feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic

Gainsay

(v.) to deny, contridict, controvert; to dispute, oppose

Imminent

(adj.) about to happen, threatening

Innate

(adj.) natural, inborn, inherent; built-in

Loath

(adj.) unwilling, reluctant, disinclined

Manifest

(adj.) clear, evident to the eyes or mind; (v.) to show plainly, exhibit, evince; (n.) a list of cargo and/or passengers

Minutiae

(pl. n.) small or trivial details, trifling matters

Moratorium

(n.) a suspension of activitiy; an offical waiting period; an authorized period of delay

Nostrum

(n.) an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness

Pariah

(n.) one who is rejected by a social group or organization

Visionary

(adj.) not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; (n.) one given to far fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight

Wizened

(adj.) dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)

amenity

(n.) that which is pleasant or agreeable

aperture

(n.) an opening, gap, hole; orifice

dissidence

(n.) a difference of opinion; discontent

epicurean

(adj.) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food;comfort and ease; (n.) a person with discriminating taste

improvident

(adj.) not thrifty, failing to plan ahead

iniquity

(n.) wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act

inviolable

(adj.) sacred; of such a character that it might not be broken, injured, or profaned

mutable

(adj.) open to or capable of change; fickle

nascent

(adj.) just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence

obeisance

(n.) a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; homage

panegyric

(n.) formal or elaborate praise; a tribute

pillory

(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule

pittance

(n.) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion

presage

(v.) to foreshadow and point to a future event; to predict; (n.) a warning or indication of the future

progeny

(n.) descendants, offspring, children, followers

promulgate

(v.) to explain or issue officially; to make known far and wide

rectitude

(n.) uprightness, righteousness; correctness

restive

(adj.) restless, hard to manage, balky

seraphic

(adj.) angelic, heavenly, celestial

subsist

(v.) to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue