ALL vocab level 11 lessons 1-10

harbinger

An omen or a sign

Gambol

To frolic; to jump around playfully

Quagmire

A swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation

Carcinogen

Causing cancer

Grotesque

absurd; distorted

Agape

open-mouthed; surprised; agog

Recondite

difficult to understand; profound

Censure

to criticize sharply

neologism

new word or expression

hackneyed

Commonplace; overused

immolate

to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire

Imperious

domineering; haughty

Martinet

a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster

olfactory

Pertaining to smell

gibe

To scoff; to ridicule

pejorative

adj. having a negative effect; insulting

masochist

n. one who enjoys his or her own pain and suffering

grandiose

adj. impressive; showy; magnificent

idiosyncrasy

n. a peculiar personality trait

raiment

n. clothing; garments

nubile

adj. suitable for marriage in age and physical development, referring to a female

machination

n. an evil design or plan

eclectic

adj. choosing from various sources

deride

v. to ridicule; to mock

sapient

adj. wise; full of knowledge

chimerical

adj. imaginary; fantastic

finesse

n. diplomacy; tact; artful management

heterogeneous

adj. different; dissimilar

blanch

v. to whiten; to make pale

hybrid

n. anything of mixed origin

Idolatry

Excessive or blind adoration; the worship of an object

Immutable

Unchangeable; fixed

Impecunious

Without money; penniless

Onus

A burden; a responsibility

Bucolic

Pertaining to the countryside; rural; rustic

Impious

Disrespectful toward God

Emanate

To come forth; to send forth

Adulterate

To make impure; to contaminate

Garish

Tastelessly gaudy

Diadem

A crown

Redolent

Having a pleasant odor; suggestive or evocative

Sedition

Rebellion or resistance against the government

Delineate

To describe, to depict

Gratuitous

Unnecessary or uncalled for

Caveat

A warning

imprecation

a curse

panegyric

an expression of praise

nebulous

hazy; vague; uncertain

bowdlerize

to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc.

fop

an excessively fashion-conscious man

elegy

a sad or mournful poem

deference

respect; consideration

pedantic

tending to show off one's learning

non sequitur

something that does not logically follow

sanguine

cheerful; optimistic

impair

to weaken; to cause to become worse

quandary

a puzzling situation; a dilemma

ebullient

enthusiastic

carnal

relating to physical appetite, especially sexual

rakish

dashingly stylish and confident

bovine

pertaining to cows or cattle

callow

young and inexperienced

peccadillo

a minor offense; a misdeed

dichotomy

a division into two parts

macroscopic

visible to the naked eye

rationalize

to make an excuse for

patent

evident or obvious

knell

a sound made by a bell, often rung slowly for a death or funeral

ferret

to search or drive out

fatuous

foolish; inane

adroit

skillful; clever

affectation

a phony attitude; pose

laconic

using few words; short; concise

quiddity

an essential quality

sagacious

wise; having keen perception and sound judgement

elucidate

to make clear

banal

common, ordinary

imminent

likely to happen; threatening

antipathy

an intense dislike

scurrilous

coarsely abusive; vulgar

bedlam

a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion

amoral

lacking a sense of right and wrong

sedulous

hard working; diligent

obdurate

stubborn; hardhearted

peruse

to read carefully; scrutinize

affluence

wealth; richness

parody

a work that imitates another in a ridiculous manner

onerous

burdensome; heavy; hard to endure

eschew

to keep away from; to avoid; to shun

denouement

an outcome; a result

Aegis

A shield; protection

Rectify

To correct; to make right

Enervate

To weaken

Philanthropy

The act of donating money or work to those in need

Boor

A rude or impolite person

Fervent

Eager; earnest

Besiege

To overwhelm; to surround and attack

Carrion

Decaying flesh

Ignoble

Dishonorable; shameful

Amorphous

Shapeless, formless; vague