level g vocab unit 7,8,9

allay

(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

Synonyms: reduce, alleviate, moderate

bestial

(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

Synonyms: animalistic, loathsome

convivial

(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial

Synonyms: fun-loving, jovial, merry

coterie

(n.) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive group of people with a common interest

Synonyms: clique, set

counterpart

(n.) a personor thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement

Synonym: match

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

Synonyms: (v.) protest, object to

effrontery

(n.) shameless boldness, impudence

Synonyms: chutzpah, nerve, impertinence, cheek

embellish

(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up, to improve by adding details

Synonyms: garnish

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived

Synonyms: transient, evanescent, transitory

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

Synonyms: fortunate, well-put

furtive

(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

Synonyms: covert, surreptitious

garish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way

Synonyms: gaudy, flashy, tawdry

illusory

(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality

Synonyms: specious, spurious, imaginary

indigent

(adj.) needy, impoverished

Synonyms: penniless, poverty-stricken, detitude

inordinate

(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessve

Synonyms: exorbitant, extravagant

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

Synonyms: cast off, discard, dump, junk

misanthrope

(n.) a persosn who hates or despises people

Synonyms: people-hater

pertinacious

(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or desired

Synonyms: stubborn, determined

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifiling matters, small-minded

Synonyms: piddling, trifling

raiment

(n.) clothing, garments

Synonyms: apparel, attire

Allege

(v.) to assert without proof or confirmation
Syn: contend

Arrant

(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
Syn: egregious, unmitigated

Badinage

(n.) light and playful conversation
Syn: banter, persiflage, repartee

Conciliate

(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
Syn: mollify, propitiate

Countermand

(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
Syn: recall, revoke

Echelon

(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
Syn: rank

Exacerbate

(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
Syn: intensify, worsen

Fatuous

(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
Syn: Silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous

Irrefutable

(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument
Syn: indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable

Juggernaut

(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes what is in its path

Lackadaisical

(adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
Syn: indolent, indifferent, lax

Litany

(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
Syn: catalog, megillah

Macabre

(adj.) grisly gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
Syn: grim, ghoulish

Paucity

(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
Syn: lack

Portend

(v.)to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
Syn:bode, foretell, suggest

Raze

(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
Syn: pull down, demolish, shave off

Recant

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
Syn: repudiate, disavow

Saturate

(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
Syn: drench, flood, imbue

Saturnine

(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
Syn: morose

Slough

(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud: (n.) a mire; a state of depression
Syn: shed, along

acclamation

(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval
synonyms: ovation, cheering, plaudits

bucolic

(adj.) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherd, pastoral
synonyms: rustic

calumniate

(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously
synonyms: defame, libel

chary

(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
synonyms: wary, skittish

collusion

(n.) secret agreement or cooperation
synonyms: conspiracy, plot, connivance, cahoots

dilenttante

(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial
synonyms: amateur, trifler

imperturbable

(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
synonyms: unflappable, excitable, serene, unruffled

increment

(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
synonyms: accretion, gain

mandate

(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order
synonyms: (n.) directive

paltry

(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
synonyms: measly, meager, piddling, trivial

paroxysm

(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
synonyms: fit, seizure

pedantry

(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
synonyms: nit-picking, hairsplitting, pettifoggery

peregrination

(n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country
synonyms: journey, wandering, odyssey

redolent

(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; ending to arouse memories or create an aura
synonyms: evocative, reminiscent, aromatic

refulgent

(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent
synonyms: luminous, splendid

shibboleth

(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism
synonyms: catchphrase, password, slogan

tyro

(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
synonyms: neophyte

unremitting

(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless
synonyms: constant, incessant, unrelenting

vacillate

(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will
synonyms: seesaw; fluctuate, oscillate

vituperative

(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding
synonyms: abusive, scurrilous, insulting