Vocabulary Workshop Level D Unit 4-6

accomplice

(n.) a person who takes part in a crime

annihilate

(v.) to destroy completely

arbitrary

(adj.) unreasonable; based on one's wishes or whims without regard for reason or fairness

brazen

(adj.) shameless, impudent; made of brass

catalyst

(n.) a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction; any agent that causes change

exodus

(n.) a large-scale departure or flight

facilitate

(v.) to make easier; to assist

incorrigible

(adj.) not able to be corrected; beyond control

latent

(adj.) hidden, present but not realized

militant

(adj.) given to fighting; active and aggressive in support of a cause; (n.) an activist

morose

(adj.) having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable

opaque

(adj.) not letting light through; not clear or lucid; dense, stupid

paramount

(adj.) chief in importance, above all others

prattle

(v.) to talk in an aimless, foolish, or simple way; to babble; (n.) baby talk; babble

rebut

(v.) to offer arguments or evidence that contradicts an assertion; to refute

reprimand

(v.) to scold; find fault with; (n.) a rebuke

servitude

(n.) slavery, forced labor

slapdash

(adj.) careless and hasty

stagnant

(adj.) not running or flowing; foul from standing still; inactive, sluggish, dull

succumb

(v.) to give way to superior force, yield

atone

(v.) to make up for

bondage

(n.) slavery; any state of being bound or held down

credible

(adj.) believable

defray

(v.) to pay for

diligent

(adj.) hardworking, industrious, not lazy

doleful

(adj.) sad; dreary

ghastly

(adj.) frightful, horrible; deathly pale

hamper

(v.) to hold back

hew

(v.) to shape or cut down with an ax; to hold to

impoverished

(adj.) poor, in a state of poverty; depleted

incessant

(adj.) never stopping, going on all the time

intricate

(adj.) complicated; difficult to understand

lucid

(adj.) easy to understand, clear; rational, sane

posthumous

(adj.) occurring or published after death

prim

(adj.) overly neat, precise, proper, or formal; prudish

sardonic

(adj.) grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic

superfluous

(adj.) exceeding what is sufficient or required, excess

supplant

(v.) to take the place of, supersede

taunt

(v.) to jeer at, mock; (n.) an insulting or mocking remark

tenacious

(adj.) holding fast; holding together firmly; persistent

abscond

(v.) to run off and hide

access

(n.) approach or admittance to places, persons, things; an increase; (v.) to get at, obtain

anarchy

(n.) a lack of government and law; confusion

arduous

(adj.) hard to do, requiring much effort

auspicious

(adj.) favorable, fortunate

biased

(adj.) favoring one side unduly; prejudiced

daunt

(v.) to overcome with fear, intimidate; to dishearten, discourage

disentangle

(v.) to free from tangles or complications

fated

(adj.) determined in advance by destiny or fortune

hoodwink

(v.) to mislead by a trick, deceive

inanimate

(adj.) not having life; without energy or spirit

incinerate

(v.) to burn to ashes

intrepid

(adj.) very brave, fearless, unshakable

larceny

(n.) theft

pliant

(adj.) bending readily; easily influenced

pompous

(adj.) overly self-important in speech and manner; excessively stately or ceremonious

precipice

(n.) a very steep cliff; the brink or edge of disaster

rectify

(v.) to make right, correct

reprieve

(n.) a temporary relief or delay; (v.) to grant a postponement

revile

(v.) to attack with words, call bad names