Level G Vocab: Units 4-6

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

frenetic

(adj.) frenzied, highly agitated

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

percuniary

(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 the mind or senses)

delineate

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

depraved

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

enervate

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

esoteric

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

fecund

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

fiat

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

figment

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

garner

(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future 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, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned 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 and good reputation; (part.) alleged

sophistry

(n.) reasoning that seems 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; (adj.) without faith, skeptical

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 of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair; the money value of a property above and beyond any mortgage or other claim

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.) open to discussion and debate, unresolved; (v.) to bring up for discussion; (n.) a hypothetical law case argued by students

motif

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

neophyte

(n.) a new convert, beginner, novice

perspicacity

(n.) keenness in observing and understanding

plenary

(adj.) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute; attended by all qualified members

surveillance

(n.) a watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation

sylvan

(adj.) pertaining to or characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody

testy

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

travesty

a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the opposite sex; to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion