English vocab chapters 1-9

approbation

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

coalition

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

elicit

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

hackneyed

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

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

meritorious

(n) worthy, deserving recognition and praise

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

transcend

(v)to rise above or beyond, exceed

unctuous

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

assuage

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

decadence

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

expostulate

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

hiatus

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

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled

lurid

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

petulant

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

preogative

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

simulate

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

umbrage

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

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

epitome

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

exhort

(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly

ingratiate

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

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

millennium

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

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

ameliorate

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

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

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

lassitude

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

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

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

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

expiate

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

inadvertent

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

noncommittal

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

proclivity

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

sangfroid

(n) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

tenuous

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

Acculturation

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

ascribe

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

circuitous

(adj) roundabout, not direct

expedite

(v) to make easy, cause to progress faster

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

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

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

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

aura

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

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

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

resilient

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

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination

affable

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

Archetype

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

contraband

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

gossamer

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

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

repudiate

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

reverberate

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

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

amnesty

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

blazon

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

equitable

(adj) fair, just, embodying principles of justice

filch

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

fractious

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

precept

(n) a rule of conduct or action

scathing

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

soporific

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

staitlaced

(adj) strict in reguard to moral standards and condust prudish and puritanical

vapid

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

autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control

axiomatic

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

caveat

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

extricate

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

flout

(v). to mock, treat with contempt

salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

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

transition

(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