Sadlier-Oxford Level G Vocabulary Unit 2

Avid

Desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

Brackish

Having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

Accost

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

Animadversion

A comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

Celerity

Swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

Devious

Straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

Gambit

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

A legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

Histrionic

Pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

Incendiary

Deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; one who deliberately sets fires; arsonist

Maelstrom

A whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

Myopic

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

Overt

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

Pejorative

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

Propriety

The state of being proper, appropriateness; standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

Sacrilege

Improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

Summarily

Without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

Suppliant

Asking humbly and earnestly; one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

Talisman

An object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

Undulate

To move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form