Semester 1 vocab

APLang

approbation

the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval

assuage

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

coalition

a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

decadence

decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self

elicit

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

expostulate

to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

hackneyed

used so often as to lack freshness or originality

hiatus

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

innuendo

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

intercede

to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go

jaded

wearied, worn

lurid

causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

meritorious

worthy, deserving recognition and praise

petulant

peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

prerogative

a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence

provincial

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

to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of

transcend

to rise above or beyond, exceed

umbrage

Shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

unctuous

Excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable

ameliorate

to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

aplomb

poise, assurance, great self

bombastic

pompous or overblown in language; full of high

callow

without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers

drivel

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

a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

Exhort

to urge strongly, advise earnestly

ex officio

by virtue of holding a certain office

infringe

to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

ingratiate

to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

interloper

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

intrinsic

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

inveigh

to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

lassitude

weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

millenium

a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

occult

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

permeate

to spread through, penetrate, soak through

precipitate

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

strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

surmise

to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof

abominate

to have an intense dislike or hatred for

Acculturation

the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend

adventitious

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

roundabout, not direct

commiserate

to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

enjoin

to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

expedite

to make it easy, cause to progress faster

expiate

to make amends, make up for; to avert

ferment

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

resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

nominal

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

noncommittal

not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no

Peculate

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

proclivity

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

sangfroid

composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

seditious

resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

tenuous

thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

vitriolic

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

wheedle

to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

affable

courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

aggrandize

to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

amorphous

shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion

archetype

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

Aura

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

Contraband

illegal, prohibited, or smuggled goods

erudite

scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

gossamer

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

inscrutable

incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

insular

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

irrevocable

incapable of being changed or called back

propensity

a natural inclination or predilection toward

querulous

peevish, complaining, fretful

remonstrate

to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

repudiate

to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

resilient

able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

reverberate

to re

scurrilous

coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul

sedulous

persistent, showing industry and determination

sleazy

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

amnesty

a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution

Autonomy

self

axiomatic

self-evident or unquestionable.

blazon

to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely

caveat

a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior

equitable

fair, just, embodying principles of justice

extricate

to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort

filch

to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts

flout

To mock, treat with contempt.

fractious

tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable

precept

a rule of conduct or action.

salutary

beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

scathing

bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm

scourge

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

sepulchral

funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

soporific

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

straitlaced

extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical

transient

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

unwieldy

not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

vapid

dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force