Vocab Unit 4,5,6 Level G

atrophy

(n.) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v.) to waste away

bastion

(n.) a fortified place, stronghold

concord

(n.) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

consummate

(adj.) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v.) to bring to a state of completion or perfection

disarray

(n.) disorder, confusion; (v.) to throw into disorder

exigency

(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

flotsam

(n.) Floating debris; homeless, impoverished people. (SYN: floating wreckage)

frenetic

(adj.) frenzied, highly agitated, frantic

glean

(v.) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

grouse

(n.) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v.) to complain, grumble

incarcerate

(v.) to imprison, confine, jail

incumbent

(adj.) obligatory, required; (n.) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

jocular

(adj.) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

ludicrous

(adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd

mordant

(adj.) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

nettle

(n.) a prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

pecuniary

(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

pusillanimous

(adj.) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

recumbent

(adj.) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

stratagem

(n.) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

acuity

(n.) sharpness (particularly of mind or senses)

delineate

(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail, to represent pictorially

depraved

(adj,) marked by evil or corruption, devoid of moral principles

enervate

(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

esoteric

(adj.) intended or understood by only a select few, private, secret

fecund

(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegitation; intellectually productive

fiat

(n.) an arbitrary order of decree; a command or act of will or consciousness

figment

(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

garner

(v.) to aquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away as for further use

hallow

(v.) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

idiosyncrasy

(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

ignominy

(n.) shame and disgrace

mundane

(adj.) earthly, worldy, relating to practical and material affairs; concerened with what is ordinary

nuance

(n.) a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality), delicate gradation or shade of difference

overweening

(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

penchant

(n.) a strong attraction or inclination

reputed

(adj.) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance or good reputation; (part.) alleged

sophistry

(n.) reasoning that sounds plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy

sumptuous

(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent

ubiquitous

(adj.) present or existing everywhere

abject

(adj.) degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved

agnostic

(n.) one who believes that nothing can be known about god; a skeptic

complicity

(n.) involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice

derelict

n.) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of duty

diatribe

(n.) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

effigy

(n.) a crude image of a despised person

equity

(n.) the state or quality of being just or fair

inane

(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value

indictment

(n.) the act of accusing, a formal accusation

indubitable

(adj.) certain, not to be doubted or denied

intermittent

adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic

moot

(adj.) debatable, questionable

motif

(n.) a principal idea, theme or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

neophyte

n.) beginner, novice

perspicacity

(n.) keenness in observing and understanding

plenary

(adj.) complete in all aspects; absolute

surveillance

n.) careful, close, and disciplined observation

sylvan

adj.) pertaining to or characteristic of forests

testy

(adj.) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation

travesty

n.) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation