Vocab Test

Aegis

A shield; protection.

Rectify

To correct; to make right.

Enervate

To weaken.

Philanthropy

The act of donating money or work to those in need.

Boor

A rude or impolite person.

Fervent

Eager; earnest.

Besiege

To overwhelm; to surround and attack.

Carrion

Decaying flesh.

Ignoble

Dishonorable; shameful.

Amorphous

Shapeless, formless; vague.

Factious

Causing disagreement.

Ephemeral

Lasting only a brief time; short-lived.

Perspicacity

Keenness of judgment.

Opulent

Rich, luxurious; wealthy.

Apotheosis

The finest example.

Maelstrom

A whirlpool; a turbulence; an agitated state of mind.

Impotent

Powerless; lacking strength.

Emendation

A correction.

Gloat

To look at or think about with great satisfaction.

Effete

Worn out; barren.

Impale

To pierce with a pointed object; to spear.

Bland

Mild; tasteless; dull.

Extenuate

To lessen seriousness by providing partial excuses.

Bestial

Savage; brutal.

Diaphanous

Very sheer and light.

Bauble

A showy but useless thing.

Labyrinth

A complicated network of winding passages; a maze.

Impediment

A barrier; an obstruction.

Shard

A fragment.

Nihilism

A total rejection of established laws.

Adventitious

Accidental; nonessential.

Fecund

Fertile; productive.

Pedestrian

Ordinary or dull.

Edify

To improve someone morally.

Importune

To ask persistently; to beg.

Deviate

To turn aside from the course; to stray.

Bona Fide

In good faith.

Glower

To stare angrily.

Cataclysm

A violent change.

Obfuscate

To confuse; to bewilder.

Antithesis

An exact opposite; an opposite extreme.

Chagrin

Embarrassment; a complete loss of courage.

Parochial

Local; narrow; limited.

Ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation.

Optimum

Best; most favorable; ideal.

Fortuitous

Happening by chance or accident.

Hedonism

The pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses.

Shibboleth

A word or pronunciation that distinguishes someone as of a particular group.

Perfunctory

Done without care; in a routine fashion.

Besmirch

To make dirty; to stain.

Demeanor

Behavior; the manner of conducting oneself.

Imperative

Extremely necessary; vitally important.

Sadistic

Deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others.

Facetious

Comical; jocular, flippant.

Recapitulate

To summarize; to repeat briefly.

Baroque

Overly decorated.

Obloquy

Strong disapproval; a bad reputation resulting from public criticism.

Debacle

A complete failure; a total collapse.

Quasi-

Resembling; seeming; half.

Sacrosanct

Extremely holy.

Bovine

Pertaining to cows or cattle.

Callow

Young and inexperienced.

Peccadillo

A minor offense; a misdeed.

Dichotomy

A division into two parts.

Macroscopic

Visible to the naked eye.

Rationalize

To make an excuse for.

Patent

Evident or obvious.

Knell

A sound made by a bell, often rung slowly for a death or funeral.

Ferret

To search or drive out.

Fatuous

Foolish; inane.

Adroit

Skillful; clever.

Affectation

A phony attitude; pose.

Laconic

Using a few words; short; concise.

Quiddity

An essential quality.

Sagacious

Wise; having keen perception and sound judgment.