english midterm

approbation

(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

decadence

(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence

elicit

(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)

expostulate

(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

hackneyed

(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality

hiatus

(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)

innuendo

(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense)

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)

meritorious

(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise

petulant

(adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

prerogative

(n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence

provincial

(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony

simulate

(v.) to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of

transcend

(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed

umbrage

(n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

unctuous

(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable

ameliorate

(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

aplomb

(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity

bombastic

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

callow

(adj.) 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; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly

epitome

(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

ex officio

(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office

infringe

(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

interloper

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

intrinsic

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

inveigh

(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

lassitude

(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

millennium

(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

occult

(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural

permeate

(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak through

precipitate

(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process

stringent

(adj.) 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; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof

abominate

(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for

adventitious

(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

ascribe

(v.) to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute

circuitous

(adj.) roundabout, not direct

commiserate

(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

enjoin

(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

expedite

(v.) to make easy, cause to progress faster

explate

(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert

ferment

(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

inadvertent

(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

nominal

(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously

peculate

(v.) to steal something that has been given into one's trust; to take improperly for one's own use

proclivity

(n.) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

sangfroid

(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

seditious

(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

vitriolic

(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)

wheedle

(v.) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion

archetype

(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing

aura

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

contraband

(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed

sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable

autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control

blazon

(v.) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely

caveat

(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior

equitable

(adj.) fair, just, embodying principles of justice

extricate

(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort

filch

(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts

flout

(v.) to mock, treat with contempt

fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable

precept

(n.) a rule of conduct or action

salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

scathing

(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm

scourge

(v.) to whip, punish severely; (n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism

sepulchral

(adj.) funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

soporific

(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep

straitlaced

(adj.) extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical

transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time

unwieldy

(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

vapid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force

anomalous

(adj.) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual

aspersion

(n.) a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

bizarre

(adj.) extremely strange, unusual, atypical

brusque

(adj.) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

cajole

(v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises

castigate

(v.) to punish severely; to criticize severely

contrive

(v.) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

demagogue

(n.) a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

disabuse

(v.) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

ennui

(n.) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom

heinous

(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful

immutable

(adj.) not subject to change, constant

insurgent

(n.) one who rebels or rises against authority; (adj.) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on