Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level G Unit 10 11 and 12

aesthetic

(adj.) pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty

defunct

(adj.) no longer in existence or functioning, dead

discomfit

(v.) to frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass

espouse

(v.) to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry

fetish

(n.) an object believed to have magical powers; an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence

gregarious

(adj.) living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others

hapless

(adj.) marked by a persistent absence of good luck

impeccable

(adj.) faultless, beyond criticism or blame

importune

(v.) to trouble with demands; to beg for insistently

interpolate

(v.) to insert between other parts or things; to present as an addition or correction

irreparable

(adj.) incapable of being repaired or rectified

laconic

(adj.) concise, using few words

languish

(v.) to become weak, feeble, or dull; to droop; to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect

mendacious

(adj.) given to lying or deception; untrue

nadir

(n.) the lowest point

omnipresent

(adj.) present in all places at all times

perfunctory

(adj.) done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm

plaintive

(adj.) expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy

requite

(v.) to make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate

tantamount

(adj.) equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect

Askance

(adv.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval

Attenuate

(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value

Benign

(adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant

Cavil

(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; a trivial objection or criticism

Charlatan

(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, impostor, or quack

Decimate

(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of

Foible

(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw

Forgo

(v.) to do without, abstain from, give up

Fraught

(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by

Inure

(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure

Luminous

(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating

Obsequious

(adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons

Obtuse

(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90 degrees and 180 degrees; not causing a sharp impression

Oscillate

(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver

Penitent

(adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes; one who is sorry for wrongdoing

Peremptory

(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute

Rebuff

(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; a curt rejection, a check

Reconnoiter

(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection

Shambles

(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess

Sporadic

(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order

abrogate

(v.) to repeal, cancel, declare null and void; annul, revoke

ambient

(adj.) completely surrounding, encompassing

asperity

(n.) roughness, severity; bitterness or tartness, harshness

burnish

(v.) to make smooth or glossy by rubbing; polish, shine, buff; (n.) gloss, brightness, luster

cabal

(n.) a small group working in secret; clique, ring, gang, plot, conspiracy

delectable

(adj.) delightful, highly enjoyable; deliciously flavored, savory, delicious, scrumptious; (n.) an appealing or appetizing food or dish

deprecate

(v.) to express mild disapproval; to belittle, deplore

detritus

(n.) loose bits and pieces of material resulting from disintegration or wearing away; fragments that result from any destruction; debris, wreckage, ruins, rubble

ebullient

(adj.) overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement; boiling, bubbling, exhilarated, exuberant

eclectic

(adj.) drawn from different sources; selective, synthetic; (n.) one whose beliefs are drawn from various sources

flaccid

(adj.) limp, not firm; lacking vigor or effectiveness; soft, flabby

impecunious

(adj.) having little or no money; penniless, impoverished, indigent

inexorable

(adj.) flexible, beyond influence; relentless, unyielding, inescapable, ineluctable, obdurate

moribund

(adj.) dying, on the way out, obsolescent

necromancer

(n.) one who claims to reveal or influence the future through magic, especially communication with the dead; in general, a magician or wizard, sorcerer, conjurer

onerous

(adj.) burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty, oppressive, weighty

rife

(adj.) common, prevalent, widespread, happening often; full, abounding; plentiful, abundant, replete

rudiments

(n. pl.) the parts of any subject or discipline that are learned first; the earliest stages of anything; fundamentals, basics

sequester

(v.) to set apart, separate for a special purpose; to take possession of and hold in custody; seclude, segregate, isolate, closet

winnow

(v.) to get rid of something unwanted, delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; filter, sort, strain; to remove the chaff from the wheat by blowing air on it; to blow on, fan