Vocab 1-6 midterm exam definitions

Hell on earth

Adjacent

adj. near, next to, adjoining

Alight

v. to get down from, step down from, to come down from the air, land; adj. lighted up

Barren

adj. not productive, bare

Disrupt

v. to break up, disturb

Dynasty

n. a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time

Foretaste

n. an advance indication, sample, or warning

Germinate

v. to begin to grow, come into being

Humdrum

adj. ordinary, dull, routine, without variation

Hurtle

v. to rush violently, dash headlong; to flight or hurl forcefully

Insinuate

v. to suggest or hint slyly; to edge into something indirectly

Interminable

adj. endless, so long as to seem endless

Interrogate

v. to ask questions, examine by questioning

Recompence

v. to pay back, to give a reward; n. a payment for loss, service, or injury

Renovate

v. to repair, restore to good condition, make new again

Résumé

n. a brief summary; a short written account of one’s education, working experience, or qualifications for a job

Sullen

adj. silent or brooding because of ill humor, anger, or resentment; slow moving, sluggish

Trickle

v. to flow or fall by drops in a small stream; n. a small, irregular quantity of anything

Trivial

adj. not important, minor, ordinary, commonplace

Truce

n. a pause in fighting, temporary peace

Vicious

adj. evil, bad; spiteful; having bad habits or an ugly disposition; painfully severe or extreme

Avaliable

adj. ready for use, at hand

Cater

v. to satisfy the needs of, try to make things easy and pleasant to supply food and service

Customary

adj. usual, expected, routine

Dissuade

v. to persuade not to do something

Entrepreneur

n. a person who starts up and takes on the risk of a business

Firebrand

n. a piece of burning wood; a troublemaker; an extremely energetic or emotional person

Hazard

n. risk, peril v. to expose to danger or harm; to gamble

Hinder

v. to delay; to stop or prevent from happening

Homicide

n. the killing of one person by another

Indifference

n. lack of interest or concern

Indignant

adj. filled with resentment or anger over something unjust, unworthy or mean

Indispensable

adj. absolutely necessary, not to be neglected

Lubricate

v. to apply oil or grease; to make smooth, slippery, or easier to use

Mutual

adj. shared, felt, or shown equally by two or more

Pelt

v. to throw a stream of things; to strike successively, to hurry

Plague

n. an easily spread disease causing a large number of deaths; a widespread evil; v. to annoy or bother

Poised

adj., part. balanced, suspended; calm, controlled, ready for action

Regime

n. a government in power; a form or system of rule or management; a period of rule

Transparent

adj. allowing light to pass through; easily recognized or understood; easily seen through or detected

Unscathed

adj. wholly unharmed, not injured

Animated

adj. full of life, lively, alive; part. moved to action

Brood

n. a family of young animals, especially birds; any group having the same nature and origin; v. to think over in a worried, unhappy way

Constituent

n. an essential part; a voter who elects a representative

Culminate

v. to reach a high point of development; to end, climax

Downright

adv. thoroughly; adj. absolute, complete; frank, blunt

Drone

n. a loafer, idler; a buzzing or humming sound; a remote-control device; a male bee; v. to make a buzzing sound; to speak in a dull tone of voice

Goad

v. to drive or urge on; n. something used to drive or urge on

Hanker

v. to long (for), to desire

Indulge

v. to give in to a wish or desire, give oneself up to

Literate

adj. able to read and write; showing an excellent educational background; having knowledge or training

Loom

v. to come into view; to appear in exaggerated form; n. a machine for weaving

Luster

n. the quality of giving off light, brightness, glitter

Miscellaneous

adj. mixed, of different kinds

Oration

n. a public speech for a formal occasion

Peevish

adj. cross, complaining, irritable; contrary

Seethe

v. to boil or foam; to be exited or disturbed

Singe

v. to burn slightly; n. a burn at the ends or edges

Unique

adj. one of a kind; unequaled; unusual; found only in a given class, place, or situation

Upright

adj. vertical, straight, good, honest; adv. in a vertical position

Verify

v. to establish the truth or accuracy of, confirm

Alliance

n. a joining together for some common purpose

Bewilder

v. to puzzle completely, confuse

Buffoon

n. a clown; a coarse person

Controversial

adj. arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement

Dishearten

v. to discourage

Fruitless

adj. not producing the desired results, unsuccessful

Hostile

adj. unfriendly; unfavorable; warlike, aggressive

Inflammable

adj. easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused

Inflict

v. to give or cause something unpleasant, impose

Malignant

adj. deadly, extremely harmful, evil, spiteful, malicious

Mortify

v. to hurt someone’s feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or discipline by self denial or suffering

Orthodox

adj. in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things

Procure

v. to obtain through special effort; to bring about

Scurry

v. to run quickly, scamper. hurry

Sodden

adj. soaked with liquid or moisture; expressionless, dull; spiritless, listless

Spirited

adj. full of life and vigor; courageous

Virtual

adj. having a certain force or effect in fact but not in name so close as to be equivalent to the real thing

Void

adj. completely empty; having no legal force or effect n. empty or unfilled space; v. to cancel or nullify

Wayward

adj. disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious

Wince

v. to draw back suddenly, as though in pain or fear, n. the act of drawing back in this way

Anecdote

n. a short account of an incident in someone’s life

Consolidate

v. to combine, unite; to make solid or firm

Counterfeit

n. an imitation designed to deceive; adj. not genuine, fake; v. to make an illegal copy

Docile

adj. easily taught, led, or managed; obedient

Dominate

v. to rule over by strength or power, control; to tower over, command due to height

Entreat

v. to beg, implore, ask earnestly

Fallible

adj. capable of being wrong, mistaken, or inaccurate

Fickle

adj. liable to change very rapidly erratic; marked by a lack of constancy or steadiness, inconsistent

Fugitive

n. one who flees or runs away; adj. fleeting, lasting a very short time; wandering; difficult to grasp

Grimy

adj. very dirty, covered with dirt or soot

Iota

n. a very small part or quantity

Maul

v. to beat or knock about, handle roughly; to mangle; n. a heavy hammer

Potential

adj. possible, able to happen; n. something that can develop or become a reality

Radiant

adj. shining, bright; giving forth light or energy

Rural

adj. relating to farm areas and life in the country

Substantial

adj. large, important; major, significant; prosperous, not imaginary, material

Tactful

adj. skilled in handling difficult situations or people, polite

Tamper

v. to interfere with; to handle in a secret and improper way

Ultimate

adj. last, final, most important or extreme; eventual; basic, fundamental

Uncertainty

n. doubt, the state of being unsure