(adj.) Pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside.
(n.) A person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony.

Simulate

(v.) To make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of.

Transcend

(v.) To rise above or beyond, exceed.

Synonyms: Surpass, Outstrip

Unctuous

(adj.) Excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable.
Unit 2

Permeate

(v.) To spread through, penetrate, soak through.

Surmise

(v.) To think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess.
(n.) Likely idea that lacks definite proof.

Synonyms: (v.) Infer, Gather; (n.) Inference, Presumption

Ameliorate

(v.) To improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming.

Aplomb

(n.) Poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity.

Bombastic

(adj.) Pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas.

Callow

(adj.) Without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers.

Drivel

(n.) Saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense.
(v.) To let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly.

Epitome

(n.) A summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality.

Exhort

(v.) To urge strongly, advise earnestly

(adj., adv.) By virtue of holding a certain office.

Infringe

(v.) To violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds.

Ingratiate

(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense).

Inhibit(v.) To hinder, restrain, or prevent an action or process. Synonyms: Impede, Obstruct, Deter Antonyms: Facilitate, Encourage, Promote.

Interloper

(n.) One who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder.

Intrinsic

(adj.) Belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part.

Inveigh

(v.) To make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval.

Lassitude

(n.) Weariness of body or mind, lack of energy.

Millennium

(n.) A period of one thousand years; a period of great joy.

Occult

(adj.) Mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means.
(v.) To hide, conceal; eclipse.
(n.) Matters involving the supernatural.

Precipitate

(v.) To fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to.
(adj.) Characterized by excessive haste.
(n.) Moisture; the product of an action or process.

Stringent

(adj.) Strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste.

Unit 3

Abominate

(v.) To have an intense dislike or hatred for.

Acculturation

(n.) The modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend.

Adventitious

(adj.) Resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital.

Ascribe

(v.) To assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute.

Synonyms: Impute, Credit, Attribute

Circuitous

(adj.) Roundabout, not direct.

Commiserate

(v.) To sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress.

Enjoin

(v.) To direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit.

Expedite

(v.) To make easy, cause to progress faster.

Expiate

(v.) To make amends, make up for; to avert.

Ferment

(n.) A state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence.
(v.) To be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action.

Inadvertent

(adj.) Resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental.

Nominal

(adj.) Existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously.

Noncommittal

(adj.) Not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no.

Peculate

(v.) To steal something that has been given into one's trust; to take improperly for one's own use.

Proclivity

(n.) A natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior).

Sangfroid

(n.) Composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances.

Seditious

(adj.) Resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government.

Synonyms: Mutinous, Rebellious, Subversive
Antonyms: Supportive, Loyal, Faithful, Allegiant

Tenuous

(adj.) Thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported.

Vitriolic

(adj.) Bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid).

Wheedle

(v.) To use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end.

unit 4

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion

archetype

(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination

sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable

Blazon

(v.) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
Synonym: broadcast, trumpet
Antonym: hide, conceal, bury

Caveat

(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
Synonym: admonition, word to the wise

Equitable

(adj.) fair, just, embodying principals of justice
Synonym: right, reasonable, evenhanded
Antonym: unjust, unfair, one-sided, disproportionate

Extricate

(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
Synonym: disentangle, extract
Antonym: enmesh, entangle

Filch

(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
Synonym: pilfer, purloin, swipe

Flout

(v.) to mock, treat with contempt
Synonym: sneer at, snicker at, scorn
Antonym: obey, honor

Fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary, unpredictable
Synonym: refractory, recalcitrant, peevish
Antonym: docile, tractable, cooperative

Amnesty

(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
Synonym: Reprieve

Autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control
Synonym: home rule
Antonym: dependence, subjection

Axiomatic

(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principal

Precept

(n.) a rule of conduct or action
Synonym: principle, maxim

Salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
Synonym: salubrious, curative
Antonym: detrimental, deleterious

Scathing

(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
Synonym: searing, harsh, savage
Antonym: bland, mild

Scourge

(v.) to whip, punish severely;
(n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism
Synonym: (v.) flog, beat; (n.) bane, plague, pestilence
Antonym: (n.) godsend, boon, blessing

Sepulchral

(adj.) funeral, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
Synonym: lugubrious, mortuary

Soporific

(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy
(n.) something that induces sleep
Synonym: (n.) narcotic, anesthetic
Antonym: (adj.) stimulating; (n.) stimulant, stimulous

Straitlaced

(adj.) extremely strict in regards to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
Synonym: highly conventional, overly strict, stuffy
Antonym: lax, loose, indulgent, permissive, dissolute

Transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting;
(n.) one who stays only a short time
Synonym: (adj.) impermanent, ephemeral, evanescent
Antonym: (adj.) permanent, imperishable, immortal

Unwieldy

(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
Synonym: bulky, clumsy, impractical
Antonym: manageable, easy to handle

Vapid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
Synonym: lifeless, colorless
Antonym: zesty, spicy, colorful

unit 6

anomalous

adj. abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual

aspersion

n. a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

bizarre

adj. extremely strange, unusual atypical

brusque

adj. abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

cajole

v. to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false premises

castigate

v. to punish severely; to criticize severely

contrive

v. to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

demagogue

n. a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

disabuse

v. to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

ennui

n. weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom

fetter

n. a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restrains; v. to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

heinous

adj. very wicked, offensive, hateful

immutable

adj. not subject to change, constant

insurgent

n. one who rebels or rises against authority; adj. rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

megalomania

n. a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc. far in excess of reality

sinecure

n. a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

surreptitious

adj. stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud