Sadlier-Oxford; Level G: Unit 2 Vocabulary

Accost

Accost

(v) To approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging to aggressive way

Animadversion

(n) A comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

Avid

(adj) Desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

Brackish

(adj) Having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

Celerity

(n) Swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

Devious

(adj) Straying or wandering from a straight ot direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

Gambit

(n) In chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

Halcyon

(n) A legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

Histrionic

(adj) Pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artifical; melodramatic

Incendiary

(adj) Deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n) one who deliberately sets fires; arsonist; one who causes strife

Maelstrom

(n) A whirpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirpool in violence and destruction

Myopic

(adj) Nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

Overt

(adj) Open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

Pejorative

(adj) Tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

Propriety

(n) The state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

Sacrilege

(n) Improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

Summarily

(adv) Without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

Suppliant

(adj) Asking humbly and earnestly; (n) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

Talisman

(n) An object that serves as a charm or is believe to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

Undulate

(v) To move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike apperance or form