Vocabulary Unit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Semester 2

facetious (adj)

- humorous; playfully joking

ostentatious (adj)

- meant to impress others; flashy

optimum (adj)

- best possible; most favorable; most desirable

detriment (n)

- something that causes damage, harm, or loss

vicarious (adj)

- experienced through the imagination; not experienced directly

dexterous (adj)

- skillful in using the hands or body

scrupulous (adj)

- careful about moral standards; conscientious

gregarious (adj)

- sociable; enjoying and seeking the company of others

discretion (n)

- good judgment or tact in actions or speaking

sensory (adj)

having to do with seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling

instigate (v)

to bring about by moving others to action; stir up

rudimentary (adj)

- fundamental; necessary to learn first

resilient (adj)

- able to recover quickly from harm, illness, or misfortune

collaborate (v)

- to work together on a project; cooperate in an effort

zealot (n)

- a person totally devoted to a purpose or cause

squelch (v)

- to silence or suppress or crush

venerate (v)

- to respect deeply; to revere

despondent (adj)

- downhearted; hopeless; overwhelmed with sadness

(in) retrospect (n)

- reviewing the past; considering past events

scoff (v)

- to make fun of; mock; to refuse to take seriously

juxtapose (v)

- to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast

lethargy (n)

- a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness

ambiguous (adj)

- able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear

inane (adj)

- without sense or meaning; foolish

dissident (n)

- a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion

embellish (v)

- to decorate; beautify by adding details

subsidize (v)

- to support financially; provide a grant or contribution

squander (v)

- to spend or use wastefully or thoughtfully

inadvertent (adj)

- unintentional; accidental

sporadic (adj)

- happening now and then; occasional

relinquish (v)

- to surrender (something); to give (something) up

impetuous (adj)

- done or acting in a hurry, with little thought; impulsive

maudlin (adj)

- tearfully sentimental; overemotional

berate (v)

- to criticize or scold harshly

ubiquitous (adj)

- existing or seeming to exist everywhere at the same time

zenith (n)

- the highest point or condition; peak

estrange (v)

- to make unsympathetic or unfriendly; alienate

infallible (adj)

- not capable of error or failure; unable to make a mistake

euphoric (adj)

- overjoyed; having an intense feeling of well-being

regress (v)

- to return to an earlier, generally worse, condition or behavior

dormant (adj)

– inactive; alive, but not actively growing, as if asleep

disseminate (v)

– to spread or scatter widely; distribute

irrevocable (adj)

– not able to be canceled or undone; irreversible

proliferation (n)

– a rapid spread or increase

corroborate (v)

– to support; to strengthen with further evidence; provide proof of

precipitate (v)

– to cause to happen quickly, suddenly, or sooner than expected

hoist (v)

– to lift, especially with some mechanical means, like a cable

charlatan (n)

– a fake; a person who falsely claims to have some special skill or knowledge

diverge (v)

– to branch off in different directions from the same starting point; to become different

illicit (adj)

– illegal

vit, viv

- life, lively

extra-

-outside, beyond

chron-, chrono-

- time

liber, liver

- free, freedom

de-

away, separation, removal

ante-, anti-

- before, preceding

voc, vok

- voice, call

dorm

- sleep

- ject

- throw, toss

-cide

- kill, killing, killer

equivocate (v)

– to be deliberately vague in order to mislead

fortuitous (adj)

1. – happening by chance, by accident, or at random; lucky

impeccable (adj)

– faultless; perfect

liaison (n)

– a person who serves as a connection between individuals or groups; a go between

predisposed (adj)

– open to something beforehand

propensity (n)

1. – a natural preference or tendency

reprehensible (adj)

– deserving of blame, criticism, or disapproval

sham (n)

\- a pretense or counterfeit; something meant to deceive

solace (n)

– comfort in sorrow or misfortune; consolation

solicitous (adj)

– showing or expressing concern, care, or attention

attrition (n)

– a gradual, natural decrease in number; becoming fewer in number

circumvent (v)

– to avoid by going around; to escape from, prevent, or stop through cleverness

cohesive (adj)

– sticking or holding together; unified

grievous (adj)

– causing grief or pain; very serious or severe

inundate (v)

– to cover, as if by flooding; overwhelm with a large number or amount

oblivious (adj)

– unaware; failing to notice

reticent (adj)

– quiet or uncommunicative; reluctant to speak out

robust (adj)

– healthy and strong; vigorous

sanction (v)

– to authorize, allow, or approve

vociferous (adj)

– noisy; expressing feelings loudly and intensely

bolster (v)

– to hold up, strengthen, or reinforce; support with a rigid object

depreciate (v)

– to fall or decrease in value or price; to lower the value of

indiscriminate (adj)

– not chosen carefully; not based on careful selection

inquisitive (adj

– curious; eager to learn

nebulous (adj)

– vague or unclear

relegate (v)

– to assign to a less important or less satisfying position, place, or condition

replete (v)

– plentifully supplied; well-filled

sedentary (adj)

– marked by much sitting; requiring or taking little exercise

tenet (n)

– a belief or principle held to be true by an individual or group

terse (adj)

– brief and clear; effectively concise

autonomy (n)

– independence; self-government

bureaucratic (adj)

– insisting on strict rules and routine, often to the point of hindering effectiveness

mandate (n

– a group’s expressed wishes; clear signal to act; vote of confidence

ostracize (v)

– to expel or exclude from the group

raucous (adj)

– noisy and disorderly; boisterous

recourse (n)

– a source of help, security, or strength; something to turn to

reiterate (v)

– to state again or repeatedly

tantamount (adj)

– equal in effect or value; the same as

tenacious (adj)

– holding firmly; persistent; stubborn

utopia (n)

– an ideal or perfect place or state; a place achieving social or political perfection