vocab 7-9

allay

to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

bestial

beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

convival

festive, sociable, having fun together, genial

counterpart

a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement

effrontery

shameless, boldness, impudence

ephemeral

lasting only a short time, short-lived

felicitous

appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

furtive

done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

coterie

a circle of acquaintances; a close-knint, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

embellish

to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

demur

to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

raiment

clothing, garments

garish

glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way

indigent

needy, impoverished

misanthrope

a person who hates or despises people

picayune

of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

pertinacious

very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied

wraith

a ghostly apparition; specter

inordinate

far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

threshold

the board or stone that lies under a door, sill; the place or point of entering or beginning, outset; the point at which a physiological or psychological effect is produced, brink

illusory

misleading, deceptive; lacking or not based on reality

jettison

to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

echelon

one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

irrefutable

that cannot be disproved; beyond argument

badinage

light and playful conversation

allege

to assert without proof or confirmation

fatuous

stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

lackadaisical

lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted

juggernaut

a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

exacerbate

to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

conciliate

to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

arrant

thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

countermand

to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

saturnine

of gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

litany

a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list

macabre

grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

substantive

pertaining to the essence or substance of something; existing in its own right; real, not apparent; solid; of major importance

recant

to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

paucity

an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

raze

to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

portend

to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of

melange

a mixture, medley

saturate

to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

slough

to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through or as if through mud

imperturbable

not easily excited; emotionally steady

paroxysm

a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion

increment

an enlargement, increase, addition

collusion

secret agreement or cooperation

dilettante

a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way

acclamation

a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval

bucolic

characteristic of the countryside, rural, rustic; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral

paltry

trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy

calumniate

to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously

mandate

an authoritative command, formal order, authorization

chary

extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow with; reserved, diffident

shibboleth

a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying; a truism

refulgent

shining, radiant, resplendent

tyro

beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill

peregrination

the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country

redolent

fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura

proffer

to present or offer

pedantry

a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details

profane

impure, defiled; worldly, not connected with religious or spiritual matters

unremitting

not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless

vituperative

harshly abusive, severely scolding

vacillate

to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will