vocab sem 1

abject (adj)

deserving of scorn, hatred, or deep disrespect

capitulate (v)

surrender under agreed conditions

deference (n)

courteous regard for people's feelings

ephemeral (n)

anything short-lived

expedient (adj, n)

a. appropriate to a purpose; practical

b. serving to promote your interest

c. a means to an end; not necessarily a principled or ethical one

inimical (adj)

not friendly, causing harm or injury

peremptory (adj)

putting an end to all debate or action

purport (v)

to claim something whether you mean it or not

sinewy (adj)

a. (of meat) lean, muscular, tough, and stringy

b. (of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful

venerable (adj)

respected or honored because of great age

avail (v)

to be of use

cursory (adj)

done quickly and without paying attention to small details

discrete (adj)

constituting a separate entity or part

errant (adj)

straying from the right course or from accepted standards

gratuitous (adj)

without cause and unnecessary

levity (n)

a manner lacking seriousness

poignant (adj)

touches you deeply

puerile (adj)

displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity

reticent (adj)

reluctant to draw attention to yourself

tenuous (adj)

lacking substance or significance

arbitrary (adj)

based on random choice, personal whim, or individual discretion rather than any system of logic, rule, or reason

ersatz (n)

an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation

decorous (adj)

characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct

edification (n)

the improvement of a person's mind, character, or faith

fitful (adj)

occurring in spells and often abruptly

hackneyed (adj)

repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

perfunctory (adj)

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough as a habit

sagacity (n)

the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations

strident (adj)

unpleasantly loud and harsh

torpor (n)

a state of lowered physiological activity, physical sluggishness

banal (adj)

boring, ordinary, and completely lacking freshness from the start

conjecture (v)

believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds

embroil (v)

force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action

esoteric (adj)

confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle

garish (adj)

tastelessly showy

obsequious (adj)

attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

prevaricate (v)

be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

sordid (adj)

so immoral or unethical that it seems dirty

supercilious (adj)

having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy

vestige (n)

an indication that something has been present

bearing (n)

the manner in which one carries their body

conciliatory (adj)

intended to pacify, reduce anger, or make a hostile person more friendly and willing to compromise

diffident (adj)

describes someone who is shy and lacking in self-confidence

estimable (adj)

deserving of respect or high regard

iconoclast (n)

someone who does not follow cherished ideas or traditional

obstreperous (adj)

noisily and stubbornly defiant

profligate (adj)

recklessly wasteful of resources or wildly extravagant

specious (adj)

describes something that appears correct, true, or attractive on the surface, but is actually false

supplication (n)

the act of communicating with a deity

vicarious (adj)

experienced through someone else

alacrity (n)

liveliness and eagerness

circuitous (adj)

indirect or roundabout

consternation (n)

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

enjoin (v)

give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority

forbearance (n)

a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges; refraining from acting

lassitude (n)

a feeling of lack of interest or energy

pique (v)

to arouse, stimulate, or excite

quotidian (adj)

found in the ordinary course of events

rancorous (adj)

showing deep-seated resentment

trite (adj)

refers to a phrase, remark, or idea that was once meaningful or effective, but has been spoiled by long familiarity and frequent repetition

bode (v)

indicate by signs

cogent (adj)

powerfully persuasive

disingenuous (adj)

not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness

fractious (adj)

easily irritated or annoyed

officious (adj)

annoyingly eager to do more than is required

propriety (n)

correct or appropriate behavior

sanguine (adj)

confidently optimistic and cheerful

nonplussed (adj)

feeling so surprised or confused that you do not know what to say, think, or do

urbane (adj)

sophisticated, polished, elegant, refined in social settings

willful (adj)

done intentionally or stubbornly

assiduous (adj)

careful, methodical and very persistent

deign (v)

to reluctantly agree to do something you consider beneath you

euphemism (n)

an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh

impute (v)

attribute or credit to

obeisance (n)

a physical gesture of respect—such as a bow or cutsy

pedantic (adj)

makes a big display of knowing obscure facts and details

recalcitrant (adj)

stubbornly resistant to authority or control

scrupulous (adj)

characterized by extreme care and great effort, doing things correctly & properly

vicissitudes (n)

the difficult times that we all go through

visage (n)

the human face

assuage (v)

provide physical relief, as from pain

contingent (adj)

describe something that can occur only when something else happens first

dirge (n)

a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person

disabuse (v)

free someone of a belief that is not true

inculcate (v)

to teach through frequent instruction

ornery (adj)

to be grumpy and hard to please

prosaic (adj)

ordinary or dull

repose (n)

the act of resting, or the state of being at res

spurious (adj)

false, not coming from a proper source

vacillate (v)

waver back and forth, unable to decide

brandish (v)

to wave something about aggressively

contrite (adj)

regretful, remorseful, or even guilty

dissemble (v)

to try to deceive someone

fatuous (adj)

lacking intelligence

mollify (v)

to calm someone down, soothe their anger or anxiety

posterity (n)

all future generations

redolent (adj)

smelling strongly of something, or making you think of a particular thing or time

sedulous (adj)

hard working and doesn't give up easily

tacit (adj)

implied or understood without question

wanton (n)

something excessive, uncontrolled and sometimes even cruel