Vocan Semester 2

banal

hackneyed, trite, commonplace

belabor

to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

coherent

holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

congeal

to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

emulate

to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

Germane

relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

Insatiable

so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

Substantiate

to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

Taciturn

habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

Tenable

capable of being held or defended

Accost

To approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

Avid

Desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

Brackish

Having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

Halcyon

(n)- a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher

(adj) – of or relating to calm, peaceful, happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

Incendiary

(adj) – deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to make people mad

(n) – one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist

Myopic

Nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

Overt

 open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

Sacrilege

 improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

Talisman

An object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet

Summarily

without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

Articulate

(v.) To pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; to fit together into a system; (adj.) able to use language effectively; expressed clearly and forcefully

Cavort

(v) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

Distraught

(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

Eulogy

(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise

Exhume

(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light

Murky

(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

SYN: dim, cloudy

ANT: clear, transparent, lucid, limpid

nefarious

adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

SYN: iniquitous, reprehensible

ANT: virtuous, honorable, praiseworthy, meritorious

piquant

(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative

SYN: zestful, tangy

ANT: bland, insipid, tasteless, mild

Primordial

(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

SYN: original, primal

Propinquity

(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship

SYN: similarity

ANT: remoteness, distance

Unwonted

(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character

SYN: unusual, uncommon, unexpected, atypical

ANT: usual, customary, typical

Utopian

(adj.) founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical

SYN: idealistic

ANT: realistic, pragmatic

Verbiage

(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression

SYN: prolixity, diction, jargon

Verdant

(adj.) green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment

SYN: artless, naive

ANT: scorched, sere, barren

Viscous

(adj.) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity
SYN: sticky, thick
ANT: watery, aqueous