eng vocab

facetious

Humorous; playfully joking. adj

ostentatious

Meant to impress others; flashy. adj

optimum

Best possible; most favorable; most desirable. adj

detriment

Something that causes damage, harm, or loss. n

vicarious

Experienced through the imagination; not experienced directly. adj

dexterous

Skillful in using the hands or body. adj

scrupulous

Careful about moral standards; conscientious. adj

gregarious

Sociable; enjoying and seeking the company of others. adj

discretion

Good judgement or tact in actions or speaking. n

sensory

Having to do with seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling. adj

instigate

To bring about by moving others to action; stir up. v

rudimentary

Fundamental; necessary to learn first. adj

resilient

Able to recover quickly from harm, illness, or misfortune adj

collaborate

To work together on a project, cooperate in an effort. v

zealot

A person totally devoted to a purpose or cause. n

squelch

To silence or suppress or crush. v

venerate

To respect deeply; to revere. v

despondent

Downhearted; hopeless; overwhelmed with sadness

(in) retrospect

Reviewing the past; considering past events. n

scoff

To make fun of; mock; to refuse to take seriously. v

juxtapose

to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast. v

lethargy

a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness. n

ambiguous

able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear (adj)

inane

without sense or meaning; foolish. adj

dissident

a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion. n

embellish

to decorate; beautify by adding details. v

subsidize

to support financially; provide a grant or contribution. v

squander

to spend or use wastefully or thoughtfully. v

inadvertent

unintentional; accidental. adj

sporadic

happening now and then; occasional

relinquish

to surrender (something); to give (something) up

impetuous

done or acting in a hurry, with little thought; impulsive

maudlin

tearfully sentimental; overemotional

berate

to criticize or scold harshly

ubiquitous

existing or seeming to exist everywhere at the same time

zenith

the highest point or condition; peak

estrange

to make unsympathetic or unfriendly; alienate

infallible

not capable of error or failure; unable to make a mistake

euphoric

overjoyed; having an intense feeling of well-being

regress

to return to an earlier, generally worse, condition or behavior

dormant

inactive; alive, but not actively growing, as if asleep

disseminate

to spread or scatter widely; distribute

irrevocable

not able to be canceled or undone; irreversible

proliferation

a rapid spread or increase

corroborate

to support; to strengthen with further evidence; provide proof of

precipitate

to cause to happen quickly, suddenly, or sooner than expected

hoist

to lift, especially with some mechanical means, like a cable

charlatan

a fake; a person who falsely claims to have some special skill or knowledge

diverge

to branch off in different directions from the same starting point; to become different

illicit

illegal

vit, viv

life, lively

extra -

outside, beyond

chron-, chrono-

time

liber, liver

free, freedom

de-

away, separation, removal

ante-, anti-

before, preceding

voc, vok

voice, call

dorm

sleep

-ject

throw, toss

-cide

kill, killing, killer

equivocate

to be deliberately vague in order to mislead. v

fortuitous

happening by chance, by accident, or at random; lucky. adj

impeccable

faultless; perfect. adj

liaison

a person who serves as a connection between individuals or groups; a go between. n

predisposed

open to something beforehand. adj

propensity

a natural preference or tendency. n

reprehensible

deserving of blame, criticism, or disapproval. adj

sham

a pretense or counterfeit; something meant to deceive. n

solace

comfort in sorrow or misfortune; consolation. n

solicitous

showing or expressing concern, care, or attention. adj

attrition

a gradual, natural decrease in number; becoming fewer in number

circumvent

to avoid by going around; to escape from, prevent, or stop through cleverness

cohesive

sticking or holding together; unified

grievous

causing grief or pain; very serious or severe

inundate

to cover, as if by flooding; overwhelm with a large number or amount

oblivious

unaware; failing to notice

reticent

quiet or uncommunicative; reluctant to speak out

robust

healthy and strong; vigorous

sanction

to authorize, allow, or approve

vociferous

noisy; expressing feelings loudly and intensely

bolster

to hold up, strengthen, or reinforce; support with a rigid object

depreciate

to fall or decrease in value or price; to lower the value of

indiscriminate

not chosen carefully; not based on careful selection

inquisitive

curious; eager to learn

nebulous

vague or unclear

relegate

to assign to a less important or less satisfying position, place, or condition

replete

plentifully supplied; well-filled

sedentary

marked by much sitting; requiring or taking little exercise

tenet

a belief or principle held to be true by an individual or group

terse

brief and clear; effectively concise

autonomy

independence; self-government n

bureaucratic

insisting on strict rules and routine, often to the point of hindering effectiveness adj

mandate

a group’s expressed wishes; clear signal to act; vote of confidence

ostracize

to expel or exclude from the group v

raucous

noisy and disorderly; boisterous

recourse

a source of help, security, or strength; something to turn to

reiterate

to state again or repeatedly v

tantamount

equal in effect or value; the same as

tenacious

holding firmly; persistent; stubborn

utopia

an ideal or perfect place or state; a place achieving social or political perfection