vocabulary (sophomore year)

asperity

(n.) harshness or sharpness of manner

bane

(n.) a person or thing that causes harm

garish

(adj.) excessively bright or flashy

imbue

(v.) to fill completely with a feeling or idea

hierarchy

(n.) a system of ranking

penchant

(n.) a strong attraction

doleful

(adj.) mournful or sorrowful

undermine

(v.) to weaken or ruin by degrees

repertoire

(n.) the list of pieces or skills a person is ready and able to perform

unremitting

(adj.) not stopping

buffoon

(n.) a ridiculous, but amusing person; a clown

extrovert

(n.) an outgoing, overly expressive person

instigate

(v.) bring about or initiate (an action or event)

rambunctious

(adj.) uncontrollably exuberant; boisterous

rudiment

(n.) the first principles of (a subject)

countenance

(n.) facial expression

disgruntle

(v.) to make dissatisfied or to put in a bad mood

equilibrium

(n.) a state of balance

gird

(v.) to encircle or bind for support

expedite

(v.) to speed up the process of

gratuitous

(adj.) uncalled for; lacking good reason

implacable

(adj.) unable to be soothed

luminary

(n.) a source of light

manifesto

(n.) a public statement explaining the intentions, motives, beliefs, or views of an individual or group

spurious

(adj.) not genuine

adjudicate

(v.) to hear and decide judicially

discriminate

(v.) to note or observe the difference

curtail

(v.) to cut short in time

indiscriminate

(adj.) not marked by careful distinction

malign

(v. & adj.) to speak about (someone) negatively or spitefully

indignity

(n.) an insult to one’s pride

rampant

(adj.) threateningly wild

rancor

(n.) a deep hatred

reparation(s)

(n.) repair or a making up for a wrongdoing

intercede

(v.) to act or plead on another’s behalf

smattering

(n. & adj.) scatter knowledge or a small amount

espionage

(n.) the act of spying, especially having to do with government

inalienable

(adj.) unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor

incarcerate

(v.) to imprison or confine

infamous

(adj.) well known for some bad quality or deed

perpetuate

(v.) make (something typically undesirable) continue indefinitely

adamant

(adj.) not yielding

endow

(v.) to provide with a quality, ability, or asset

perverse

(adj.) turned away from what is considered right or reasonable

tutelage

(n.) instruction, protection, guardianship

pantheon

(n.) a group of people held in high esteem for their achievements

assiduous

(adj.) showing great care, effort, and perseverance

accolade

(n.) an expression of approval or respect for special merit

ingratiate

(v.) to work to gain the favor of someone

annals

(n.) a record of events, especially a yearly record, in chronological order

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short amount of time

adulate

(v.) to praise someone excessively

altercation

(n.) a loud and noisy argument

clique

(n.) a group held together by like interests

decrepit

(adj.) worn out from use

chary

(adj.) cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something

ambivalent

(adj.) having mixed, often opposing, feelings about something or someone

acrimony

(n.) bitterness or ill feeling

poignant

(adj.) making an impression by affecting the feelings

engender

(v.) to bring into being

enclave

(n.) a distinct region or community within a larger territory

insatiable

(adj.) never satisfied

emaciated

(adj.) unhealthily thin

affinity

(n.) attraction for someone or something with which one feels a closeness

illicit

(adj.) unlawful

proselytize

(v.) to convert someone to a faith, belief, or cause

exacerbate

(v.) to make more severe (negative)

infatuation

(n.) excessive, surface-level passion

cessation

(n.) a stopping, temporary or final

inexorable

(adj.) unremitting; impossible to stop or prevent

indigenous

(adj.) originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native

baleful

(adj.) expressing hatred or ill will

compunction

(n.) feeling of uneasiness caused by guilt

infirmity

(n.) a physical or mental weakness

ameliorate

(v.) to make or become better

circumvent

(v.) to avoid by craftiness

diminutive

(adj.) very small

euphemism

(n.) a polite term used to avoid something unpleasant

repast

(n.) a meal

heresy

(n.) going against what is considered sacred

recompense

(v. and n.) to pay in return for a service or damage incurred

servitude

(n.) a lack of freedom

expendable

(adj.) able to be used up and then discarded or replaced

berate

(v.) scold or criticize (someone) angrily

condone

(v.) accept or allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue

profrane

(adj. and v.) secular, relating to what is not sacred or biblical, not respectful of traditional religious practices, to treat something with irreverence or disrespect

exodus

(n.) a mass departure (usually from danger)

obituary

(n.) a public notice of death

inter

(v.) to put in the ground (a body)

lacerate

(v.) to cut roughly

castigate

(v.) to perish by criticizing sharply

colloquial

(adj.) characterized by informal language

epitaph

(n.) words on a gravestone

permeate

(v.) to spread throughout

largesse

(n.) the act of giving generously

rendition

(n.) an interpretation of a performance

omnivorous

(adj.) avidly taking in everything as if devouring or consuming

resurgence

(n.) a rising again into life, activity, or prominence

stereotype

(n.) something conforming to a fixed or general pattern

stipend

(n.) a fixed sum of money, paid periodically for services or to defray expenses