unit 4-6 vocab ap seminar

abject

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 the state or quality 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 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 principle idea, feature, theme or element; a repeated or dominant figure in 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

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

acuity

(n) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)

delineate

(v) to portray, sketch, or describe in 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 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 or 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 graduation 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 a 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 somewhere

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.) 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 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 lifestyle; sharply or bitterly harsh

nettle

(n.) a prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to accuse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irate severely

pecuniary

(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or relating 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