unit 4,5,6

anomalous

(adj) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual

arbiter

(n) someone having power to decide a matter at issue; a judge, umpire

aspersion

(n) a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

bizarre

(adj) extremely strange, unusual, atypical, unconventional

brusque

(adj) rudely abrupt or blunt, w/ no formalities

cajole

(v) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to decide w/ soothing thoughts or false promises

castigate

(v) to punish severely; to censure or criticize severely

contrive

(v) to plan w ingenuity, to devise or invent; to bring about the result of a scheme or plan

demagogue

(n) a leader who exploits popular passions or prejudices, false claims and promises in order to gain power, rabble- rouser

disabuse

(v) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas and thinking

ennui

(n) boredom; weariness and discontent from lack of occupation or interest

fetter

(n) a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restrains

(v) to chain or shackle; to render hopeless or impotent

heinous

(adj) very wicked, offensive, hateful

immutable

(adj) not subject to change, constant

insurgent

(n) one who rebels or rises against authority

(adj) rising in revolt, resfusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

megalomania

(n) a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far in excess of reality

sinecure

(n) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job 

surreptitious

(adj) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

transgress

(v) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, to violate a law

transmute

(v) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another; to transform

vicarious

(adj) performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another; experienced secondhand

vouchsafe

(v) to give or furnish condescendingly; to grant

affable

(adj) courteous, pleasant, sociable, friendly, easy to speak to

s- amiable, cordial

a- unfriendly, prickly

aggrandize

(v) to increase in greatness, power, wealth; to build up or intensify; to appear greater

s- elevate, promote, exalt

a- rescue, diminish, lessen

amorphous 

(adj) shapeless, w/o definite form; of no particular type or character; w/o organization, unity, or cohersion

s- formless, unstructured

a- shaped, definite 

archetype

(n) an original model after which similar things are patterned; a perfect or typical example

s-prototype, ideal, classic

a- atypical

aura

(n) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality; radiant light around the head of a saint

s-ambience, scent, mood

a- shadow, darkness

contraband

(n) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj) illegal, prohibited

s- bootleg

a- legal goods, approved goods

erudite

(adj) scholarly learned; profoundly educated, pedantic, well-read

s- intellectual, informed

a- ignorant, naive, dumb 

gossamer

(adj) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial (n) very thin, light cloth; filaments from a web spun by a spider

s- wispy, fine

a- heavy, thick

infer

(v) to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis or thought; to hint; to suggest, to imply

s- deduce, reason

a- declare, specify

inscrutable

(adj) impossible to see through physically; incapable of being understood

s- mysterious, puzzling

a- clear, obvious 

insular

(adj) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

s- secluded, detached

a- open-minded, tolerant

irrevocable

(adj) incapable of being changed or called back

s- irreversable, final

a- reversible, alterable

propensity

(n) a natural inclination towards 

s- proclivity, leaning

a- dislike, hatred 

querulous

(adj) peevish, complaining, fretful

s- grumbling, whining

a- cheerful, satisfied 

remonstrate

(v) to argue or plead w/ someone against something, protest against, object to

s- argue, complain

a- accept, support

resilent

(adj) to able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

s- strong, flexible, elastic

a- fragile, brittle

retrench

(v) to cute down, reduce in scope and cost

s-downsize, lessen

a- expand, spend

reverberate

(v) to re-echo, respond; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

s- rebound, vibrate

a- fade, quieten, hush

scurrilous

(adj) coarsely abusive vulgar or low (especially in language) foul mouthed

s- insulting, offensive

a- polite, respectful

sedulous

(adj) persistent, showing industry, and determination

s- diligent, careful

a- lazy, sluggish

sleazy

(adj) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean or disreputable; morally degraded

s- trashy, tacky

a- elegant, classy

addemdum

plural: addenda

(n) an addition or supplement designed to increase correctness, or currency

s- attachment, postscript, extension

a- reduction, omission, cut 

amnesty

(n) a general pardon for an offense against a gov’t; in general, any act of forgiveness

s- mercy, immunity, reprieve

a- penalty, accusation, punishment

autonomy

(n) a self-govenrnment, political control; political independence, person independence

s- self-rule, liberty, sovereignty

a- dependence, control, constraint

axiomatic

(adj) self-evident, evident w/o proof; expressing a universally accepted principle or rule

s- obvious, clear, certain

a- debatable, doubtful, unproved

vapid

(adj) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness or force

s- boring, flat, bland

a- lively, exciting, vigorous

unwieldy

(adj) not easily carried, handled, or managed b/c of size or complexity

s- bulky, clumsy, awkward

a- light, handy, graceful

transient

(adj) lasting only a short time, fleeting

(n) one who stays only a short time

s- temporary, brief, momentary

a- permanent, eternal, lasting

straitlaced

(adj) extremely strict in regard to moral standards & conduct; prudish, puritanical

s- proper, uptight, rigid

a- easygoing, lenient, permissive

soporific 

(adj) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepines or lethargy

(n) something that induces sleep

s- drowsy, sleepy, boring

a- refreshing, stimulating, energizing

sepulchral

(adj) funereal, typical of the tomb or grave or burial; extremely gloomy or dismal

s- mournful, somber, deathlike

a- cheerful, joyful, lively

blazon

(v) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuosly; to publish or proclaim widely

caveat

(n) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior 

s- alert, admonition, provision

a- assurance, confirmation, promise

equitable

(adj) fair, just, embodying principles of justice

s- just, impartial, reasonable

a- biased, partial, prejudiced

extricate

(v) to free from entanglements or difficulties; remove w/ effort

s- release, liberate, rescue

a- involve, trap, confine

filch

(v) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts

s- swipe, snatch, purloin

a- give, offer, contribute

flout

(v) to mock, treat with contempt

s- disregard, ridicule, defy

a- obey, respect, honor

fractious

(adj) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarreling, irritated, annoyed, contrary; unpredictable; stubbornly resistant to authority

s- cranky, quarrelsome, peevish

a- calm, obdient, patient 

precept

(n) a rule of conduct or action or doctrine

s- principle, tenet

a- impropriety, anarchy, chaos

progonosticate

(v) to predict, especially on the basis of present indications or signs, foretoken; to indicate by signs

s- foretell, presage, project

a- misinterpret, doubt, overlook

salutary

(adj) beneficial, helpful; healthy, wholesome

s- advantageous, constructive, good

a- harmful, detrimental. injurious

scathing

(adj) bitterly severe, withering; abusive criticism; causing great harm

s- cutting, withering, caustic

a- gentle, kind, soft

scourge

(v) to whip, punish severly

(n) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism 

s- plague, bane, calamity

a- boon, comfort