Vocab Test

affable

affable

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

aggrandize

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

amorphous

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

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

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth

infer

(v.) to find out by reasoning; to arrive at conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood, imposed, to see through physically

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, 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

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

scurrilous

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

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination

sleazy

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

amnesty

(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness of absolution

autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control

axiomatic

(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle or rule

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.) funeral, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

soporific

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

straitlaced

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

transient

(adj.) lasting only a short tie, 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, favor, liveliness, or force

anomalous

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

aspersion

(n.) a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering of 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 a lack of occupation or interest, boredom

fetter

(n.) a chain or shackled placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restraints (v.) to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

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

megalomania

(n.) a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far in excess of reality

sinecure

(n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

transgress

(v.) to go beyond a limit or boundary, to sin, violate a law

transmute

(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another

vicarious

(adj.) performed, suffered, or otherwise experiences by one person in place of another