English Vocab Final

Semester 2

assurance

a pledge; freedom from doubt, self-confidence

asylum

an institution for care of children, elderly people, etc.; a place of safety

console

to comfort; (n) a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device

dross

refuse, waste products

dilate

to make or become larger or wider; to expand upon

dwindle

to lessen, diminish

flippant

lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

immunity

resistance to disease; freedom from some charge or obligation

liability

a debt; something disadvantageous

institute

(v) to establish, set up; (n) an organization for the promotion of learning

preposterous

ridiculous, senseless

pugnacious

quarrelsome, fond of fighting

rabid

furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies

realm

(n) a kingdom; a region or field of study

rejuvenate

to make young again; to renew

remunerate

(v) to reward, pay, reimburse

sparse

(adj.) meager, scant; scattered

sterling

(adj.) genuine, excellent; made of silver of standard fineness

venture

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking; (v.) to expose to danger; to dare

warp

(v.) to twist out of shape

auxillary

(adj.) giving assistance or support; (n.) a helper, aid

candid

(adj.) frank, sincere; impartial; unposed

cubicle

a small room or compartment

drudgery

work that is hard and tiresome

envoy

(n.) a representative or messenger (as of a government)

escalate

(v.) to elevate; to increase in intensity

expedient

(n.) a means to an end; (adj.) advantageous, useful

feign

to pretend

flair

(n.) a natural quality, talent, or skill; a distinctive style

grievous

(adj.) causing sorrow or pain; serious

heterogenous

(adj.) composed of different kinds, diverse

horde

(n.) a vast number (as of people); a throng

impel

to force, drive forward

incredulous

disbelieving, skeptical

inscribe

(v.) to write or engrave; to enter a name on a list

monologue

(n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person

prognosis

a forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease or situation

rasping

(adj.) with a harsh, grating sound; (n.) a harsh sound

repugnant

(adj.) offensive, disagreeable, distasteful

scuttle

(v.) to sink a ship by cutting holes in it; to get rid of something in a decisive way; to run hastily, scurry;

adept

(adj.) thoroughly skilled; (n.) an expert

aspire

(v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

bleak

(adj.) bare, dreary, dismal

chide

to scold

despicable

(adj.) worthy of scorn, contemptible

diminutive

(adj.) small, smaller than most others of the same type

emancipate

to free from slavery; to release or liberate

erroneous

(adj.) incorrect, containing mistakes

exploit

(v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit; (n.) a feat, deed

extemporaeneous

made or delivered on the spur of the moment

impair

to make imperfect, damage, harm

invincible

not able to be defeated, unbeatable

languid

(adj.) drooping; without energy, sluggish

mire

(n.) mud; wet, swampy ground; a tough situation; (v.) to get stuck

obtrusive

(adj.) forward; undesirably prominent; thrust out

preamble

(n.) an introduction to a speech or piece of writing

render

(v.) to cause to become; to perform; to deliver officially; to process, extract

rugged

(adj.) rough, irregular; severe, stern; strong; stormy

skeptical

(adj.) inclined to doubt; slow to accept something as true

slipshod

(adj.) untidy in dress, personal habits, etc.; careless, sloppy

appreciable

sufficient to be noticed or measured

autocratic

absolute in power or authority

blanch

(v.) to remove the color from; to make or turn pale; to parboil

blasphemy

an act, utterance, or writing showing contempt for something sacred

brawny

strong, muscular

concerted

planned or performed in cooperation with others

contend

(v.) to fight, struggle; to compete; to argue

humane

kind, merciful

illustrious

(adj.) very famous, distinguished

intolerable

unbearable

irreverent

disrespectful

laborious

(adj.) not easy, requiring hard work; hardworking

lithe

(adj.) bending easily, limber

maltreat

(v.) to abuse, use roughly or crudely

ponder

(v.) to consider carefully, reflect on

subversive

(adj.) intended to undermine or overthrow; (n.) one who advocates or attempts to undermine a political system

synthetic

(adj.) made or put together by people; (n.) something artificial

temperate

mild, moderate

venemous

(adj.) poisonous; spiteful, mean

wily

(adj.) sly, shrewd, cunning

ad infinitum

endlessly

apportion

to divide and give out in shares

bona fide

genuine; sincere

buoyant

(adj.) able to float easily; able to hold things up; cheerful, hopeful

clique

a small, exclusive group of people

concede

(v.) to admit as true; to yield, submit

congenial

(adj.) getting on well with others; agreeable, pleasant

lofty

(adj.) very high; noble

migration

A movement from one country or region to another

percieve

(v.) to be aware of through the senses, observe; to grasp mentally

perverse

(adj.) inclined to go against what is expected; stubborn; turned away from what is good and proper

prelude

(n.) an introduction; that which comes before or leads off

rancid

(adj.) stale, spoiled

rustic

(adj.) country-like; simple, plain; awkward; (n.) one who lives in the country

sever

to separate, divide into parts

sordid

(adj.) wretchedly poor; run-down; mean or selfish

untenable

(adj.) not capable of being held or defended; impossible to maintain

versatile

able to do many things well; capable of many uses

vindicate

(v.) to clear from hint or charge of wrongdoing; to defend successfully against opposition; to justify

wane

(v.) to lose size, strength, or power