Lang Vocab

aegis

(n.) protection, support, or sponsorship; a shield [Lesson 1]

rectify

(v.) to correct or set right [Lesson 1]

enervate

(v.) to weaken or drain of energy [Lesson 1]

philanthropy

(n.) charitable giving or work intended to help others [Lesson 1]

boor

(n.) a rude, insensitive, or ill-mannered person [Lesson 1]

fervent

(adj.) intensely passionate, eager, or earnest [Lesson 1]

besiege

(v.) to surround and attack; to overwhelm with demands or requests [Lesson 1]

carrion

(n.) the decaying flesh of a dead animal [Lesson 1]

ignoble

(adj.) dishonorable, shameful, or morally base [Lesson 1]

amorphous

(adj.) lacking a definite shape or clear form; vague [Lesson 1]

factious

(adj.) causing division or disagreement; inclined toward factional conflict [Lesson 1]

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting for only a short time; short-lived [Lesson 1]

perspicacity

(n.) sharp insight and sound judgment [Lesson 1]

erotic

(adj.) relating to sexual love or desire [Lesson 1]

opulent

(adj.) richly luxurious; displaying great wealth [Lesson 1]

maelstrom

(n.) a powerful whirlpool; a state of violent turmoil or confusion [Lesson 2]

impotent

(adj.) powerless; lacking strength or effectiveness [Lesson 2]

emendation

(n.) a correction or revision, especially in a text [Lesson 2]

gloat

(v.) to dwell smugly on one's own success or another's misfortune [Lesson 2]

effete

(adj.) worn out, weakened, or no longer effective [Lesson 2]

impale

(v.) to pierce or fix with a sharp, pointed object [Lesson 2]

bland

(adj.) mild, uninteresting, or lacking strong flavor or character [Lesson 2]

extenuate

(v.) to make a fault or offense seem less serious by giving mitigating reasons [Lesson 2]

bestial

(adj.) brutally cruel, savage, or animal-like [Lesson 2]

diaphanous

(adj.) very light, delicate, and almost transparent [Lesson 2]

bauble

(n.) a showy but trivial or nearly worthless object [Lesson 2]

labyrinth

(n.) a complicated maze or network of winding passages [Lesson 2]

impediment

(n.) something that blocks or hinders progress; an obstacle [Lesson 2]

shard

(n.) a broken fragment, especially of glass or pottery [Lesson 2]

nihilism

(n.) rejection of established beliefs, values, or authority; often the view that life lacks inherent meaning [Lesson 2]

adventitious

(adj.) accidental, incidental, or not essential [Lesson 3]

fecund

(adj.) fertile; highly productive or capable of producing abundantly [Lesson 3]

edify

(v.) to instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually [Lesson 3]

pedestrian

(adj.) ordinary, dull, or lacking imagination [Lesson 3]

importune

(v.) to ask or beg persistently [Lesson 3]

deviate

(v.) to depart from an expected course, standard, or path [Lesson 3]

bona fide

(adj.) genuine; made or done in good faith [Lesson 3]

glower

(v.) to stare angrily or sullenly [Lesson 3]

cataclysm

(n.) a sudden, violent upheaval or disaster [Lesson 3]

obfuscate

(v.) to make something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand [Lesson 3]

antithesis

(n.) the direct or complete opposite of something [Lesson 3]

chagrin

(n.) distress or embarrassment caused by failure or disappointment [Lesson 3]

parochial

(adj.) narrowly limited in outlook or scope; local rather than broad [Lesson 3]

ambiguous

(adj.) open to more than one interpretation; unclear [Lesson 3]

optimum

(adj.) best or most favorable under the circumstances [Lesson 3]

fortuitous

(adj.) happening by chance or accident, often with a favorable result [Lesson 4]

hedonism

(n.) the pursuit of pleasure as a primary goal [Lesson 4]

celibate

(adj.) abstaining from sexual relations; often unmarried for religious reasons [Lesson 4]

perfunctory

(adj.) done routinely with little care, interest, or effort [Lesson 4]

besmirch

(v.) to soil, stain, or damage the reputation of [Lesson 4]

demeanor

(n.) a person's outward behavior or manner [Lesson 4]

imperative

(adj.) absolutely necessary or urgently important [Lesson 4]

sadistic

(adj.) deriving pleasure from causing pain, suffering, or humiliation [Lesson 4]

facetious

(adj.) joking or flippant, especially about a serious matter [Lesson 4]

recapitulate

(v.) to summarize or restate the main points [Lesson 4]

baroque

(adj.) highly ornate, elaborate, or excessively decorated [Lesson 4]

obloquy

(n.) strong public criticism, abuse, or disgrace [Lesson 4]

debacle

(n.) a sudden and complete failure or collapse [Lesson 4]

quasi-

(prefix/adj.) seemingly, partly, or almost; not fully genuine [Lesson 4]

sacrosanct

(adj.) regarded as too sacred or important to be changed or questioned [Lesson 4]

imprecation

(n.) a spoken curse or expression wishing harm [Lesson 5]

panegyric

(n.) a formal or enthusiastic expression of praise [Lesson 5]

nebulous

(adj.) vague, hazy, or poorly defined [Lesson 5]

bowdlerize

(v.) to censor a text by removing material considered offensive [Lesson 5]

fop

(n.) a man excessively concerned with fashionable appearance [Lesson 5]

elegy

(n.) a mournful poem or song, often for someone who has died [Lesson 5]

deference

(n.) respectful submission or consideration toward another [Lesson 5]

pedantic

(adj.) excessively concerned with displaying learning or minor details [Lesson 5]

non sequitur

(n.) a statement or conclusion that does not logically follow from what came before [Lesson 5]

sanguine

(adj.) cheerful and optimistic, especially in a difficult situation [Lesson 5]

impair

(v.) to weaken, damage, or reduce in quality [Lesson 5]

quandary

(n.) a difficult situation involving uncertainty about what to do [Lesson 5]

ebullient

(adj.) cheerful, energetic, and enthusiastic [Lesson 5]

carnal

(adj.) relating to bodily or sexual desires rather than spiritual concerns [Lesson 5]

rakish

(adj.) stylish and dashing in a slightly disreputable way [Lesson 5]

elucidate

(v.) to explain or make clear [Lesson 6]

banal

(adj.) dull or unoriginal because it is overly common [Lesson 6]

imminent

(adj.) about to happen very soon [Lesson 6]

antipathy

(n.) a strong feeling of dislike or aversion [Lesson 6]

scurrilous

(adj.) grossly insulting, abusive, or vulgar [Lesson 6]

bedlam

(n.) noisy confusion, uproar, or chaos [Lesson 6]

amoral

(adj.) lacking or unconcerned with moral standards [Lesson 6]

sedulous

(adj.) diligent, persistent, and hardworking [Lesson 6]

obdurate

(adj.) stubbornly refusing to change; hard-hearted [Lesson 6]

peruse

(v.) to read or examine carefully [Lesson 6]

affluence

(n.) wealth, abundance, or material prosperity [Lesson 6]

parody

(n.) a humorous imitation that exaggerates features of the original [Lesson 6]

onerous

(adj.) burdensome, difficult, or demanding [Lesson 6]

eschew

(v.) to deliberately avoid or shun [Lesson 6]

denouement

(n.) the final resolution or outcome of a story or complex situation [Lesson 6]

bovine

(adj.) relating to cattle; sometimes slow or dull in manner [Lesson 7]

callow

(adj.) immature and inexperienced [Lesson 7]

peccadillo

(n.) a minor fault, offense, or misdeed [Lesson 7]

dichotomy

(n.) a division into two sharply contrasting parts or categories [Lesson 7]

macroscopic

(adj.) large enough to be seen with the unaided eye [Lesson 7]

rationalize

(v.) to justify behavior with seemingly logical reasons, often to hide the real motive [Lesson 7]

patent

(adj.) obvious, evident, or plainly apparent [Lesson 7]

knell

(n.) the slow sound of a bell for a death or funeral; a sign that something is ending [Lesson 7]

ferret

(v.) to search out, discover, or bring to light [Lesson 7]

fatuous

(adj.) foolish, silly, or lacking intelligence [Lesson 7]