Final 12-15 English 10H vocab

abstruse

abstruse

extremely difficult to understand

affront

an open or intentional insult; a slight; to insult to ones face; to face in defiance, confront

canard

a false rumor, fabricated story

captious

excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up

cognizant

aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction

contrite

regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent

cynosure

the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct

decorous

well behaved, dignified, socially proper

deign

to think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do something; to condescend

desiccated

thoroughly dried out; divesting of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting

efficacy

the power to produce a desired result

engender

to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume from

ethereal

light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound)

facade

the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as oppose to what may lie behind)

ghoulish

revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead

incongruous

not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible

machination

a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end

mesmerize

to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch

oppobrium

disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach

putative

generally regarded as such; reputed; hypnotized, inferred

aesthetic

pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty

defunct

no longer in existence or functioning, dead

discomfit

to frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass

fetish

an object believed to have magical powers, an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence

espouse

to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry

gregarious

living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others

hapless

marked by a persistent absence of good luck

impeccable

faultless, beyond criticism or blame

importune

to trouble with demands; to beg for insistently

interpolate

to insert between other parts or things; to present as an addition or correction

irreparable

incapable of being repaired or rectified

laconic

concise, using few words

languish

to become weak, feeble, or dull: to droop: to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect

mendacious

given to lying or deception; untrue

nadir

the lowest point

omnipresent

present in all places at all times

perfunctory

done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm

plaintive

expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy

requite

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

tantamount

equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect

beatific

blissful: rendering or making blessed

behemoth

a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance

blandishment

anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing

cacophonous

harsh-sounding, raucous, discordand, dissonant

chicanery

trickery, deceptive practices or tactics, double-dealing

consign

to give over to another’s care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use

coup

a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership

euphemism

a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

febrile

feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic

gainsay

to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose

imminent

about to happen, threatening

innate

natural, inborn, inherent; built-in

loath

unwilling, reluctant, disinclined

manifest

clear, evident to the eyes or mind; to show plainly, exhibit, evince; a list of cargo and/or passenger

minutiae

small or trivial details, trifling matters

moratorium

a suspension of activity; an official waiting period; an authorized period of delay

nostrum

an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness

pariah

one who is rejected by a social group or organization

visionary

not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; one given to far-fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight

wizened

dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)

amenity

that which is pleasant or agreeable; attractive features, customs, etc.

aperture

an opening, gap, hole; orifice

dissidence

a difference of opinion; discontent

epicurean

devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease; with discriminating tastes; a person with discriminating tastes

improvident

not thrifty; failing to plan ahead

iniquity

wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act

inviolable

sacred; of such a character that it must not be broken, injured, or profaned

mutable

open to or capable of change, fickle

nascent

just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence

obeisance

a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; deference, homage

panegyric

formal or elaborate praise; a tribute

pillory

a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule; to expose to public contempt or ridicule

pittance

a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion

presage

to foreshadow or point to a future event; to predict; a warning or indication of the future

progeny

descendants, offspring, children, followers, disciples

promulgate

to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide

rectitude

uprightness, righteousness; correctness

restive

restless, hard to manage, balky

seraphic

angelic, heavenly, celestial

subsist

to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue