Vocab 16

exodus (n)

A departure, usually of large numbers of people

hegira

an exodus or migration

arrival

the action or process of arriving

influx

an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things

immigration

the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country

exotic (adj)

Foreign; charmingly unfamiliar or strikingly unusual

striking

attracting attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent

indigenous

originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native

endemic

(of a disease) regularly occurring within an area or community

commonplace

not unusual; ordinary

familiar

well known from long or close association

expedient (adj & n)

a. Advantageous to one's interest or purpose.

b. An emergency course of action; a means to an end

opportune

well-chosen or particularly favorable or appropriate

stratagem

a plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve an end

stopgap

a temporary way of dealing with a problem or satisfying a need

exploit (v & n)

a. To use to the greatest possible advantage. often selfishly

b. A brilliant or heroic deed

tour de force

an impressive performance or achievement that has been accomplished or managed with great skill

expound (v)

To explain in detail

elucidate

make (something) clear; explain

delineate

describe or portray (something) precisely

summarize

give a brief statement of the main points of (something)

synopsize

to make a synopsis of; summarize

fabricate (v)

a. To assemble or construct from separate parts.

b. To make up with the intention of deceiving.

fabrication

the action or process of manufacturing or inventing something

prefabricate

refers to a manufacturing process in which standardized parts or sections are mass-produced for shipment and assembly elsewhere. Thus, a prefabricated house is constructed out of ready-made sections that were manufactured in another place

concoct

make (a dish or meal) by combining various ingredients

a trumped up charge

to concoct especially with intent to deceive

facetious (adj)

Not meant seriously; playful or humorous

waggish

humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner

whimsical

playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way

droll

curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement

serious

acting or speaking sincerely and in earnest, rather than in a joking or halfhearted manner

grave

giving cause for alarm; serious

earnest

resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

a tongue-in-cheek remark

in an ironic, flippant, or insincere way

for real

used to assert that something is genuine or is actually the case

facsimile (n & adj)

a. An exact copy.

b. Reproduced exactly

replica

an exact copy of model of something, espeically one on a smaller scale

reproduction

the action or process of making a copy of something

a carbon copy

a person or thing identical or very similar to another

a chip off the old block

someone who resembles their parent inf character or appearance

fallacy (n)

a. faulty reasoning; an error in logic

b. a false or mistaken notion

solecism

a grammatical mistake in speech or writing

fathom (n & v)

a. A unit of length roughly equal to six feet and used primarily in the measurement of marine depths.

b. To get to the bottom of; to understand.

fathomable

capable of being penetrated or comprehended

unfathomable

incapable of being fully explored or understood

probe

physically explore or examine (something) with the hands or an instrument

ferret out

to find (something, such as information) by careful searching

fatuous (adj)

Unconsciously foolish, stupid, or absurd

a fatuous expression on one's face

a foolish or stupid look on someone's face

Vapid

offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging

Ludicrous

so foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing; ridiculous

Judicious

having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense

feasible (ajd)

Possible; both doable and workable

unfeasible

inconvenient or impractical

Feasibility

the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done

feign (v)

To pretend or give a false appearance of

sham

a thing that is not what it is purported to be

sail under false colors

hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren't in order to deceive people

a wolf in sheep's clothing

someone or something that seems to be good but is actually not good at all

the real McCoy

the real thing; the genuine article

felicitous (adj)

Agreeably suited to the purpose or occasion; aptly or gracefully expressed

apropos

very appropriate to a particular situation

unseemly

not proper or appropriate

inept

having or showing no skill; clumsy

ad rem

having or showing no skill; clumsy

wide of the mark

incorrect or inaccurate

fetish (n)

a. An object believed among primitive peoples to have magical powers.

b. An object of unreasonably excessive attention or reverence

tailisman

an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck

fixation

an obsessive interest in or feeling about someone or something

a monomaniac

a person exhibiting an exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one thing

a sacred cow

an idea, custom, or institution held, especially unreasonably, to be above criticism (with reference to the Hindus' respect for the cow as a sacred animal)

kowtow

(from China) act in an excessively subservient manner

amuck

(from Malaysia) to rush about in a murderous frenzy

tycoon

(from Japan) a wealthy, powerful person in business or industry

zombie

(from Brazil ) a corpse said to be revived by witchcraft, especially in certain African and Caribbean religions

thug

(from India) a violent, aggressive person, especially one who is a criminal

boomerang

(from Australia) a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower, traditionally used by Australian Aboriginal people as a hunting weapon

mogul

(from Germany/Norway) an important or powerful person, especially in the motion picture or media industry

pariah

(from Sri Lanka) an outcast

juggernaut

(from India) a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or instit

mumbo jumbo

(from West Africa) language or ritual causing or intended to cause confusion or bewilderment

Syllogism

A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion

Induction

the process or action of bringing about or giving rise to something

Deduction

the action of deducting or subtracting something

Pathetic Fallacy

the attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things or animals, especially in art and literature

Seethe

(of a liquid) bubble up as a result of being boiled

Quell

to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity

Mete

dispense or allot justice, a punishment, or harsh treatment

Swarthy

dark-skinned

Beckon

make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage someone to come nearer or follow

Paranoid

unreasonably or obsessively anxious, suspicious, or mistrustful

Subconscious

of or concerning the part of the mind of which one is not fully aware but which influences one's actions and feelings