SAT Vocab Quiz 5

intractable

(adj) not easily managed or manipulated

intransigent

(adj) uncompromising, refusing to abandon an extreme position

intrepid

(adj) fearless, resolutely courageous

inundate

(v) to cover with a flood; to overwhelm as if with a flood

inveterate

(adj) firmly established, especially with respect to a habit or attitude

irascible

(adj) easily angered, hot-tempered

ironic

(adj) poignantly contrary or incongruous to what was expected

irreverent

(adj) disrespectful in a gentle or humorous way

itinerant

(adj) wandering from place to place; unsettled

jettison

(v) to discard; to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering

jocular

(adj) playful, humorous

junta

(n) a small governing body, especially after a revolutionary seizure of power

kismet

(n) destiny, fate

lampoon

(v) to ridicule with satire

largess

(n) generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior

laudable

(adj) deserving of praise

lax

(adj) not rigid, loose; negligent

levity

(n) an inappropriate lack of seriousness, overly casual

lexicon

(n) a dictionary; a stock of terms pertaining to a particular subject or vocabulary

libertarian

(n) one who advocates individual rights and free will

libertine

(n) a free thinker, usually used disparagingly; one without moral restraint

licentious

(adj) immoral; unrestrained by society

lilliputian

(adj) very small

limber

(adj) flexible, capable of being shaped

lithe

(adj) moving and bending with ease; marked by effortless grace

loquacious

(adj) talkative

macabre

(adj) having death as a subject; dwelling on the gruesome

macrocosm

(n) the whole universe; a large-scale reflection of a 

part of the greater world

malaise

(n) a feeling of unease or depression

malapropism

(n) the accidental, often comical, use of a word which resembles the one intended, but has a different, often contradictory meaning

malediction

(n) a curse, a wish of evil upon another

malevolent

(adj) exhibiting ill will; wishing harm to others

malfeasance

(n) wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by a public official

malleable

(adj) easily influenced or shaped, capable of being altered by outside forces

mannered

(adj) artificial or stilted in character

maverick

(n) an independent individual who does not go along with a group

mawkish

(adj) sickeningly sentimental

megalomania

(n) obsession with great or grandiose performance

mellifluous

(adj) having a smooth, rich flow

microcosm

(n) a small-scale representation of a larger system

milieu

(n) the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops, environment

misanthrope

(n) a person who hates or distrusts mankind

misnomer

(n) an error in naming a person or place

missive

(n) a written note or letter

mitigate

(v) to make less severe, make milder

modicum

(n) a small portion, limited quantity

mollify

(v) to soothe in temper or disposition

mordant

(adj) biting and caustic in manner and style

mores

(n) fixed customs or manners; moral attitudes

morose

(adj) gloomy, sullen

mote

(n) a small particle, speck

mutability

(n) the quality of being capable of change, in form or character; susceptibility of change

myopic

(adj) lacking foresight, having a narrow view or long-range perspective

nebulous

(adj) vague, undefined

necromancy

(n) the practice of communicating with the dead in order to predict the future

nefarious

(adj) intensely wicked or vicous

neonate

(n) a newborn child

nihilism

(n) the belief that traditional values and beliefs are  unfounded and that existence is useless; the belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable

nomenclature

(n) a system of scientific names