Vocabulary Words and Their Meanings

Ameliorate

to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

Aplomb

poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity

Bombastic

pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

Callow

without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers

Drivel (n.)

saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense

Drivel (v.)

to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly

Epitome

a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

Exhort

to urge strongly, advise earnestly

Ex-officio

by virtue of holding a certain office

Infringe

to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

Ingratiate

to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

Interloper

one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder

Intrinsic

belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part

Inveigh

to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

Lassitude

weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

Millennium

a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

Occult (adj.)

secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; mysterious, magical, uncanny

Occult (v.)

to hide, cover up; eclipse

Occult (n.)

matters involving the supernatural

Permeate

to spread through, penetrate, soak through

Precipitate (v.)

to fall as moisture; to bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to

Precipitate (adj.)

characterized by excessive haste

Precipitate (n.)

moisture; the product of an action or process

Stringent

strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

Surmise (v.)

to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess

Surmise (n.)

likely idea that lacks definite proof