Vocab 2

ardor

warmth or heat of emotion; energy

diffidence

shyness, reserve, unassertive

implausible

not believable

obdurate

stubborn, will not accept advice

torpid

sluggish, inactive dull

bequeth

to hand down, to leave in a will

embroil

to entangle, to throw into confusion

indelible

cannot be removed or erased

placate

to appease, pacify by conceding

voluble

can use words easily, fluent, glib

acuity

sharpness of perception

cacophonous

harsh sounding, dissonance

effrontery

extreme boldness, audacity

incontrobertible

indisputable

plethora

superabundance

aggrandizement

enhancement, enlargement

circumspect

careful, cautious, prudent

eschew

to avoid or to shun

licentious

lacking moral or sexual restraint

sublime

exalted, noble, uplifting

belligerent

waging war; overly assertive

despotic

ruling oppressively; tyrannical

fallow

inactive, plowed but not sowed

magnate

a person of power and influence

surreptitious

secret, clandestine, stealthy

buttress

a support or prop

distend

to expand, to swell

harbor

to give shelter or refuge

obfuscating

confusing, making unclear

zeal

enthusiasm, fervor

acerbic

sour or bitter in mood or tone

dissuade

to advise against, to talk out of

humility

the quality of not being proud

mettle

courage and strength in spirit

recluse

one who lives in solitude, a hermit

docile

easily managed, obedient, passive

anomalous

out of place, abnormal

indignation

anger as a result of injustice

modicum

limited quality

sated

satisfied filly, indulged to excess

crass

coarse, crude, unrefined

gravitate

to move towards something

infidel

one who has no religious faith

panache

grand or flamboyant manner; style

vicarious

experienced through imagined participation in another's activity

abnegate

to surrender or relinquish a right

chimera

fantasy; hideous imagined creature

fatuous

foolish, silly in an obnoxious way

inveterate

firmly established

spurious

not genuine, not true, not valid

adversity

misfortune, unfavorable happening

culpable

deserving blame; guilty

humane

kind, compassionate, sympathetic

neophyte

a recent convert; beginner; novice

stolid

showing little emotion

arcane

secret, mysterious

debunk

to expose falseness or hypocrisy

ineptness

lack of competence or judgement

prattle

meaningless sounds, babble

tome

a large book, a volume forming part of a larger work

breadth

comprehensive quality; width

entreaty

a plea, an earnest request

ingrate

an ungrateful person

predilection

preference

turbulence

wild or disturbing activity

burnish

to make shiny, to polish by rubbing

chortle

to chuckle or to laugh from extreme happiness

dogma

a system of beliefs or principles

inexorable

incapable of being persuaded; relentless

svelte

slim, slender

calcify

to make inflexible or unchangeable

clandestine

conducted with secrecy

effusion

unrestrained expression of feelings

invective

critical or abusive language; abuse

ruse

clever trick, subterfuge

erudite

scholarly

sedulously

very diligent, accomplishing with painstaking care

certitudes

things inevitable and certain

maladroit

inept, awkward

cognizant

aware, having knowledge

bigot

one who is intolerant of any creed or belief differing from his own

elegiac

mournful, epxressing sorrow

iniquity

a gross injustice, wickedness

obviates

to make unnecessary, to prevent

raucous

loud and boisterous, harsh

curmudgeon

a surly, grumpy, ill-mannered person

fetter

to restrict by shackling

moribund

at the point of death

philology

study of literature

traducer

one who speaks falsely; slanders

coddle

to treat with extreme or excessive care

infernal

relating to hell

gilded

covered in gold

allay

put fear, doubt, anger to rest

dub

to honor with a new title

befuddled

confused

cupidity

greed

emotive

characterized by emotion

imperious

extremely overbearing

jettison

to discard or to cast off