lit vocab 4

proximity

(n.) nearness; closeness

prudent

(adj.) wise; shrewd; cautious

puerile

(adj.) childish

qualify

(v.) to limit the meaning of a previous statement; to modify

quandary

(n.) a state of confusion or doubt; dilemma

quarantine

(n.) forces isolation to prevent the spread of disease

quell

(v.) to calm; pacify

querulous

(adj.) constantly complaining

rampant

(adj.) unrestrained; widespread

ratify

(v.) approve (by formal vote, for example); confirm

rebuff

(v.) to ignore or reject strongly; snub

rebuttal

(n.) denial or contradiction; argument; refutation

recant

(v.) take back something you've said; withdraw a statement or belief

recluse

(n.) person who prefers to be alone all the time; someone withdrawn from the rest of society

recondite

(adj.) hidden; difficult to understand; profound

redolent

(adj.) strongly scented; fragrant

redundant

(adj.) more than what is necessary; in speech or writing, a repetition of words or ideas

reticent

(adj.) quiet; uncommunicative

revere

(v.) greatly respect

rotund

(adj.) round

rudiementary

(adj.) undeveloped; fundamental; elementary

salubrious

(adj.) promoting health

salutary

(adj.) promoting health, or having some beneficial effect

sanction

(v.) approve; give consent

sanguine

(adj.) optimistic; cheerful

sardonic

(adj.) humorous, but humor tinged with sarcasm or disdain; cynical

scanty

(adj.) small in quantity; insufficient

scrupulous

(adj.) very thorough; or, doing what is right and ethical

scrutinize

(v.) examine closely; inspect carefully

seclusion

(n.) separation from other people; isolation

sectarian

(adj.) limited to the beliefs of a small group, such as a religious sect; narrow in scope

seditious

(adj.) trying to stir up a revolt against an authority figure

sententious

(adj.) short and to the point; terse

serpentine

(adj.) coiled; twisted; winding

servile

(adj.) like a slave; subservient; submissive

skeptic

(n.) one who doesn't believe unless he's shown absolute proof; doubter

slander

(n.) negative oral remarks about another person that are untrue

slough

(v.) discard; cast off; shed

solemn

(adj.) serious; somber; grave

somber

(adj.) dark; gloomy

sonorous

(adj.) loud, full in sound; booming

specious

(adj.) having a false or misleading appearance; only seeming to be true

sporadic

(adj.) occurring infrequently and without predictability; occasional

spurious

(adj.) false; fake; misleading

stagnant

(adj.) motionless; unchanging; dull

static

(adj.) unchanging; motionless

stealth

(n.) secretive behavior

stoic

(n.) a person who shows no response to pleasure or pain; someone who is impassive

stymie

(v.) block; get in the way of; hamper

subjugate

(v.) take over; enslave

sublime

(adj.) of very special quality; noble

subtle

(adj.) hard to see or understand; elusive

succinct

(adj.) short and to the point; concise

succor

(n.) assistance; relief

sumptuous

(adj.) rich; magnificent

superfluous

(adj.) unnecessary; extra

surreptitious

(adj.) secretive; furtive; clandestine

sustain

(v.) support; nurture; take on

sycophant

(n.) someone who flatters in order to gain favor; wimpy follower

symmetry

(n.) balance; having a similar appearance on all sides

taciturn

(adj.) quiet

tangent

(n.) a line that touches a curve at just one point; or, a comment that is off the main topic

tantamount

(adj.) equal; comparable

temper

(v.) bring into balance; moderate

tenacious

(adj.) strong, persistent; determined to hold on

tentative

(adj.) not fully developed or definitely planned; provisional

tenuous

(adj.) thin; flimsy

terse

(adj.) of few words; to the point; pithy

thrifty

(adj.) careful about managing money

timorous

(adj.) afraid

tirade

(n.) a long and bitter speech; diatribe

torpid

(adj.) sluggish; dull; lacking enthusiasm

translucent

(adj.) permitting light to pass through

trepidation

(n.) fear

trite

(adj.) overused; common; stale

truculent

(adj.) aggressive; savage; cruel

turbulence

(n.) violent disturbance

tyranny

(n.) rule based on absolute power or cruelty

ubiquitous

(adj.) existing everywhere at the same time

unanimous

(adj.) in total agreement

undermine

(v.) to weaken by wearing away the foundation; to sabotage

undulate

(v.) move in a wavy manner

unerring

(adj.) without making a mistake

uniform

(adj.) similar; consistent

unkempt

(adj.) messy; sloppy

unprecedented

(adj.) the first of its kind

upbraid

(v.) criticize severely; scold

usurp

(v.) to seize or take over by force

usury

(n.) the practice of charging a very high rate of interest on loans

vacillate

(v.) move back and forth between choices, unable to decide

vacuous

(adj.) empty; stupid; purposeless

vagrant

(n.) homeless person; wanderer

valedictory

(n.) a farewell speech

validate

(v.) confirm; corroborate; support; sanction

vapid

(adj.) dull; boring; lacking flavor or spark

veracity

(n.) truth

verbose

(adj.) very talkative; loquacious

versatile

(adj.) having many talents or uses

vestige

(n.) something left behind; evidence of something that has vanished

vilify

(v.) defame; attack someone's reputation