VOCABULARY
HONORS ENGLISH 12
Week One
1. Through
abnegation I was able to break my habit of smoking.
ABNEGATION(n.): Self-denial.
2. There was a prodigious display of anxiety
during the first day of classes for freshman.
PRODIGIOUS(adj.): Impressively great in size, force or
extent.
3. His obstinacy over admitting he was
wrong lead to his girlfriend dumping him.
OBSTINACY(n.): Stubborness.
4. When Liz successfully predicted that
I would win the lottery, many claimed she was clairvoyant.
CLAIRVOYANT(adj.): able to perceive things that are out
of the range of the human senses
5. William's rancor gave way and resulted
in his slaying the men who had killed his family.
RANCOR(n.): Bitter, long-lasting resentment; deep-seated
ill will.
6. Despite that it was my friend's plan
to rob the store, I, too, was arrested due to my complicity.
COMPLICITY(n.): Involvement as an accomplice in a crime
or wrongdoing.
7. By fertilizing the crop, she insured
the corn would be fecund.
FECUND(adj.): Productive; fertile; fruitful.
8. Cyrus was so parsimonious, he would
rather walk home in the rain rather than pay for bus fare.
PARSIMONIOUS(adj.): Extremely or excessively frugal; stingy.
9. Cassandra's complacent attitude frustrated
her parents who wanted her to be a successful student.
COMPLACENT(adj.): Self-satisfied; smug.
10. When I mentioned that I liked music
from the eighties, I felt antiquated by the students who had never
heard of the songs I mentioned.
ANTIQUATE(v.): To make obsolete or old-fashioned.
11. Will was filled with consternation
when he looked at his AP Calculus homework for the first time.
CONSTERNATION(n.): Great confusion or dismay.
12. After the tragedy of September 11,
many believe the United States is no longer the inviolable country
it once was.
INVIOLABLE(adj.): Not able to be violated; secure.
13. Last period classes are often filled
with languid students whose lack of motivation make teaching difficult.
LANGUID(adj.): Lacking energy or vitality; weak.
14. Despite the worn quality of the wood,
its patina made it an antique of great value.
PATINA(n.): The sheen on any surface, produced by age or
use.
15. Sybil's taciturn nature made it difficult
for her to make friends and socialize.
TACITURN(adj.): Habitually untalkative or silent.
16. When news spread about the virulent
virus, people traveled to the hospitals in droves to be vaccinated
against it.
VIRULENT(adj.): 1. Extremely poisonous or harmful, as a
disease or microorganism. 2. Bitterly hostile or antagonistic.
17. Experiencing flatulence when attending
a party, is a situation ripe with embarrassing consequences.
FLATULENCE(n.): Gas.
18. Dr. Webertan's ubiquitous presence
won him much respect for his the obvious commitment to his work
that it reflected.
UBIQUITOUS(adj.): Being or seeming to be everywhere at
the same time; omnipresent.
19. When Nicholas jumped from the roof
wearing his makeshift wings, his temerity lead to ten broken bones.
TEMERITY(n.): Foolish boldness; rashness.
20. Although a conjecture was made about
the identity of the suspect, the vague description deterred the
detectives from finding her.
CONJECTURE(n.): Inference based on incomplete evidence;
guesswork.
1. Cecilia's tenuous understanding of
the cosmos, often left her in a state of consternation.
TENUOUS(adj.): unsubstantial, thin, shaky, uncertain.
2. The bellicose spirit of the soldiers
intimidated their enemies.
BELLICOSE(adj.): warlike, belligerent.
3. Yesterday, all flags were restored
to full mast thus ending the lugubrious days honoring the victims
of the World Trade Center tragedy.
LUGUBRIOUS(adj.): mournful, grieving, sometimes to a ridiculous
degree.
4. Alabaster's predilection for fly-swatting
made him a fixture at the buffet table whenever we had family
picnics.
PREDILECTION(n.): preference, partiality, a pre-judged
liking.
5. Cleo's virulent speech was attenuated
by the man in the audience who revealed to everyone in the crowd
that Cleo was a charlatan.
ATTENUATE(v.): to weaken.
6. Despite the repugnant nature of the
Neo-Nazis, Carla continued to watch the documentary in which they
were featured in hopes she would somehow gain a better understanding
of why they believed what they did.
REPUGNANT(adj.): offensive; distasteful.
7. In a world where so many are starving,
it is astounding how many people in the United States die from
health problems related to corpulence.
CORPULENCE(n.): obesity; fatness.
8. The attack on the World Trade Center
continues to cause paroxysms even a year after it occurred.
PAROXYSM(n.): a sudden outburst of emotion or action.
9. Although intended to be didactic, the
parent's decision to allow their son and his friends to become
inebriated, so that they would learn how physically painful it
can be to get sick from alcohol, backfired by resulting in their
touting how much fun it is to "get wasted."
DIDACTIC(adj.): instructive, intended to teach.
10. The soporific effects of eating lunch
and then attending a class in a crowded, overheated room, leads
one to wonder where the logic is in teaching after twelve. SOPORIFIC(adj.):
sleep-inducing, causing sleep.
11. He attempted to placate the whining
child by promising him he would buy him a treat as soon as they
arrived at their destination.
PLACATE(v.): to allay the anger of , appease.
12. Some said that his enigmatic personality
attracted a plethora of attractive women who wanted to "figure
him out."
ENIGMATIC(adj.): puzzling, ambiguous, inexpilcable.
13. To the Fulbright scholar, the discussion
among the undergraduates was insipid and cliche.
INSIPID(adj.): dull, tasteless, lacking flavor or excitement.
14. Despite trying to expiate for his
sins, he was still banished from the church for stealing from
the collection box.
EXPIATE(v.): to atone for or make amends for.
15. The stentorian voices of the singers
attracted a large audience to the open-air theatre.
STENTORIAN(adj.): Extremely loud.
16. Celeste and her retinue of worshiping
freshman boys, only disgusted those who couldn't stand such blind
devotion.
RETINUE(n.): The followers of a person of rank or prestige.
17. The diatribe was followed by conciliatory
words that people could hardly take seriously after feeling so
abused by the initial comments.
DIATRIBE(n.): A bitter speech or verbal attack.
18. CONCILIATORY(adj.): Appeasing;
characteristic of winning someone over.
19. The only apparent vestige left
of her love for fashion from the eighties was her fluorescent
pink socks.
VESTIGE(n.): A visible trace, evidence or sign of something
that no longer exists or appears.
20. The only way to mollify a seemingly
starving group of students before lunch is to throw candy at them
and watch them dive to catch it.
MOLLIFY(v.): To calm or soothe.
1+2. "Such insolent behavior will not be tolerated in this classroom," said the perturbed professor in response to the effrontery of the student's actions in hurling spitballs at him.
INSOLENT(adj.): Disrespectfully arrogant; impudent; rude.
EFFRONTERY(n.): Brazen boldness; presumptuousness.
3. It seemed to Professor Haberdasher that his students were becoming more churlish each year.
CHURLISH(adj.): Rude or boorish.
4,5+6. In addition, their canards as to why they were unable to complete the work on time, left him wishing for a palliative to ease his bilious mood.
CANARD(n.): A false or unfounded story.
PALLIATIVE(n.): Something that eases or relieves a disease or disorder without curing it.
BILIOUS(adj.): Having a peevish disposition.
7. Haberdasher had once possessed a great avidity for teaching entomology, but when he overheard a former student describe his lectures as "soporific" he became deeply depressed.
AVIDITY(n.): Enthusiasm.
8+9. And then there was the incident with the cockroaches that won him the sobriquet "Leland Lout."
SOBRIQUET(n.): Nickname.
LOUT(n.): An awkward, stupid person.
10-12. Nevertheless, despite his decrepitude, Professor Haberdasher took solace in knowing the arduous task of enlightening young minds to the wonders of the insect world made his status as a pariah bearable.
DECREPITUDE(n.): The quality of being weakened, worn out, or impaired by old age, illness, or hard use.
ARDUOUS(adj.): Difficult; strenuous.
PARIAH(n.): One
who has been excluded from society; an outcast.
13. After having been raised in a convent by nuns, Magdalene feared that she we would be debauched by the outside world whose concept of right and wrong was suspect.
DEBAUCH(v.): To corrupt morally.
14. The salacious details in a romance novel she found in the convent library made her curious, yet, ashamed of her curiosity because she had been warned never to trust men.
SALACIOUS(adj.): Obscene, indecent or lewd; bawdy.
15. + 16. Finally, Magdalene decided to move out of the cloister and to the metropolis, but when she arrived at the apartment she was supposed to rent, its squalid condition caused her much consternation.
CLOISTER(n.): A monastery or convent.
SQUALID(adj.): Having a dirty or wretched appearance.
17. All Magdalene could hear was Mother Superior's voice in her head, "The city is a place of perdition where good souls turn black within days of their exposure to the lewd forces of evil."
PERDITION(n.): Eternal damnation.
18,19 + 20. While Magdalene had obviously been importuned to avoid the corruption of the city, she knew not all pagans were pernicious, so she decided to brave the tumult that awaited her knowing she would always be protected by seraphim:
IMPORTUNE(v.): To beset with repeated and insistent requests.
PERNICIOUS(adj.): Destructive, deadky.
TUMULT(n.): 1) The din and commotion of a great crowd 2) Agitation of the mind or senses
1-6. Magdalene confidently walked down the sidewalk, all thoughts of calamity had dissipated when all of a sudden she turned the corner to find herself embroiled in a viscous and pestilential miasma. The pungent odor knocked her out, but when she regained consciousness she found herself gazing into the most celestial eyes she had ever seen, accompanied by an equally angelic voice saying, "Hello sweet Magdalene, I'm Professor Haberdasher."
DISSIPATE(v.): To break up and drive away; to disappear or vanish
VISCOUS(adj.): Sticky; tending to resist flow when pressure is applied.
PESTILENTIAL(adj.): Tending to cause death or disease.
MIASMA(n.): A noxious atmosphere or influence.
PUNGENT(adj.): A sharp, acrid sensation that affects smell and/or taste.
CELESTIAL(adj.): Heavenly.
7 + 8. Professor Haberdasher mollified Magadalene's paroxysm over the salacious situation of being held in the arms of a total stranger by expounding on the reasons for the ephemeral cloud of disease she had just passed through.
EXPOUND(v.): To explain in detail.
EPHEMERAL(adj.): Short-lived, fleeting.
9 + 10. "While this may seem like esoteric knowledge to you, it is my business to know the inner workings of every pestilential pest in the world," Haberdasher said in a conciliatory tone. "What you just experienced is none other than the voracious Venderglem, an insect the size of a grain of sand, but more pernicious than a malaria infested mosquito."
ESOTERIC(adj.): Understood
by few.
VORACIOUS(adj.): Extremely hungry or ravenous.
11 - 13. "How propitious to have met an apotheosis of such wisdom," Magdalene thought to herself. Still, she was concerned about the virulent Venderglem and importuned Haberdasher to inculcate her about what to do to save herself.
PROPITIOUS(adj.): Favorable; auspicious.
APOTHEOSIS(n.): An exalted or glorified ideal.
INCULCATE(v.): To instruct or teach.
14 + 15. "Never fear, while I have suffered opprobrium from poor decisions in the past, saving you is my chance to abrogate such slander for once and for all."
OPPROBRIUM(n.): Disgrace arrising from shameful conduct.
ABROGATE(v.): To abolish or do away with.
16. With that, Haberdasher took a vial and syringe from his bag and prepared to inject Magdalene with the antidote. Just as he was to administer the shot, a porcine-like beast emerged from the shadows and wrested the syringe from his hand. "I take umbrage with you, Haberdasher, for you are the cause of my vile transformation. We all know you are responsible for the existence of Venderglem in the first place and I will not succumb to my death until I..."
UMBRAGE(n.): Offense or resentment.
17-20. "Oh, pullease," Haberdasher interrupted. Enough with your histrionic antics. So, I accidentally created a deadly insect. At least, I saved myself from ignominy by finding the antidote, unlike some people!" Porcine Padua, as he was known by entomologists far and wide, didn't feel so loquacious anymore. In fact, he felt more fatuous than ever. "It is true," he thought, "I did set a plague of slugs on that small South American country once, what's its name?"
HISTRIONIC(adj.): Overly dramatic or theatrical.
IGNOMINY(n.): Shame or dishonor.
LOQUACIOUS(adj.): Very talkative.
FATUOUS(adj.): Foolish
or inane; stupid.
1-5. Meanwhile, Magdalene's timorous nature as well as the Venderglem attack had left her immobilized. "How could you inveigle me like that?" She asked Haberdasher. "I thought you were my hero, but you're really only a two-bit entomology professor whose claim to fame is the very thing that almost killed me." Mother Superior was right, the world is an odious place." Magadalene approached Porcine Padua. "So you killed a few million people," she said placatingly, "it isn't like you meant to and it's not like you caused the apocalypse or anything...By the way, would you mind injecting me with that stuff? Maybe then we could get a bite to eat or something," she nervously prattled on, "You might not think this about me, since I grew up in a convent and all, but I'm actually quite the epicurean. You see, Mother Superior had an avidity for wine..."
TIMOROUS(adj.): Timid, shy.
INVIEGLE(v.): To win over by coaxing, flattery or artful talk.
ODIOUS(adj.): Offensive, hateful.
PRATTLE(v.): To talk idley or meaninglessly; to babble.
EPICUREAN(n.): Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure esp. to the enjoyment of good food and comfort.
6. "Sounds to me like you are becoming quite the iconoclast," said Porcine Padua over dinner that night. "First, you leave the convent, then you stop going to church, now you're talking about the evils of Christianity altogether, what next?"
ICONOCLAST(n.): One who attacks and seeks to overthrow tradional, or popular ideas or institutions.
7. "It's not like I'm going to start a revolution," Magdalene responded in a jocular manner.
JOCULAR(adj.): Homorous, merry.
8. Nevertheless, a feeling of compunction overcame Magdalene. "Maybe, I am being too hard on the whole Christianity thing," she thought to herself.
COMPUNCTION(n.): Uneasiness caused by guilt or remorse.
9. Suddenly, in a state of exigency, Porcine Padua got up from the table and told Magdalene they had to depart immediately; Venderglem had just walked in the door.
EXIGENCY(n.): A situation demanding swift action or attention.
10 + 11. Vendeglem approached the table and said, "While I consider myself a punctilious man by nature and would normally never interrupt a person's meal, I feel it is incumbent on me to warn you, Magdalene, of what lies ahead if you continue spending time with this odious fellow."
PUNCTILIOUS(adj.): Strickly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct; exacting and mannerly.
INCUMBENT(adj.): Imposed as an obligation or duty; obligatory.
12. "You see, Padua's mother was a virago of sorts who made life for her husband unbearable. While she coddled Padua, it didn't prevent him from resenting her and all women for the power they hold over men. And, yet, he hated his father for allowing himself to be dominated by such a women."
VIRAGO(n.): A woman regarded as noisy, scolding, or domineering.
13. "The results of this kind of childhood is far from recondite," Venderglem continued. "It doesn't take a degree in psychaitry to know Padua has all the makings of a modern day psychopath."
RECONDITE(adj.): Not easily understood; abstruse.
14. "Padua's a specious sort of a man, so it isn't obvious right away how truly disturbed he is."
SPECIOUS(adj.): Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually false.
15. Magadalene felt it was difficult to trust Venderglem's words after his spurious actions at their first meeting, but she did remember Padua avoiding any questions about his family when she was talking to him earlier.
SPURIOUS(adj.): False; not genuine.
16. Suddenly, Padua's true truculent nature overcame him and he let out a stentorian roar like that of the ancestor, Grendel, from which he sprung.
TRUCULENT(adj.): Fierce, savage, bitterly hostile.
17. He showered execrations upon Venderglem, Magdalene and the entire human race until he broke down sobbing, "It is true, I am the quintessence of hate, but all I ever wanted was a little love. Do you know what it is like to be so sedulous about something, yet, never reap the rewards? I fought my instinctive desire to be splenetic and refractory. I always did what she wanted, and she did love me in a her own way, but she wouldn't let me leave, she wanted me to be her son forever, she just didn't understand I needed more, I needed love from a real person- I didn't mean to kill her- I didn't mean to, I didn't, the knife slipped, she was yelling, I was crying, it was dark, I just, " but everyone had gone back to their dinners by then. Men in little white coats appeared and led him away and Venderglem and Magdalene were left staring at bowls of fettucine alfredo.
EXECRATION(n.): A curse.
QUINTESSENCE(n.): The purest form of something.
SPLENETIC(adj.): Ill-tempered; peevish.
REFRACTORY(adj.): Stubborn.
1. The diurnal ritual of doing homework can be debilitating until you see the fruits of your labor.
DIURNAL(adj.): Daily.
2. The desultory words of the teacher were difficult to follow and left the class bewildered and bored.
DESULTORY(adj.): Progressing aimlessly from onething to another; Rambling.
3. Finding the twenty dollar bill was adventitious especially because I was broke at the time.
ADVENTITIOUS(adj.): Acquired by chance; accidental.
4. Essays done in a perfunctory manner don't usually receive a high grade.
PERFUNCTORY(adj.): Done without care; careless.
5. The ribald humor only received laughs from the low-brow members of the audience.
RIBALD(adj.): Coarse; vulgar.
6. Some people dream of a sinecure that will secure them financially, but require little effort in return.
SINECURE(adj.): A job that requires little responsibility or work, but for which the person receives compensation.
7. I surreptitiously entered the building so that I would not be detected.
SURREPTITIOUSLY(adv.): Secretly or clandestinely.
8. The prosaic plots of most Hollywood movies have deterred me from going to the movies lately.
PROSAIC(adj.): Dull; commonplace.
9. His fetid socks contaminated the entire room and made us sick from their smell.
FETID(adj.): Foul smelling; malodorous.
10. A certain student tried to foment his peers by deliberately wearing a t-shirt with an obscene statement on its front.
FOMENT(v.): To stir up; to incite; to galvanize.
11. During the school year the weekends are evanescent and can hardly be fully enjoyed because they are so short.
EVANESCENT(adj.): Fleeting; short-lived.
12. College applications are often onerous to students who have little time to complete them.
ONEROUS(adj.): Burdensome.
13. His factitious nature made most people distrust him despite his insistence that he would do what was asked.
FACTITIOUS(adj.): False; artificial, not genuine.
14. The insidious acts of the politician ultimately brought about his downfall.
INSIDIOUS(adj.): Sly, wily, sneaky, conniving, treacherous.
15. The ideas of many great inventors were often thought to be chimerical by those who didn't believe in their visions.
CHIMERICAL(adj.): Fanciful, imaginary or unreal.
16. Unferth tries to be furtive when attacking Grendel, but only makes a fool out of himself.
FURTIVE(adj.): Stealthy, sneaky.
17. The United States has often been criticized for the profligate behaviour of its citizens who spend and waste recklessly.
PROFLIGATE(adj.): Wasteful, extravagant, immoral.
18. I become irascible when I've had little sleep.
IRASCIBLE(adj): Easily angered.
19. Being grounded for three weeks, is considered a condign punishment for breaking one's curfew.
CONDIGN(adj.): Fitting; deserved.
20. Grendel's treament of Unferth could be considered scurrilous by some.
SCURRILOUS(adj.): Vulgar or abusive.
1. ABSTRUSE-adj.- difficult to understand
2. BALEFUL-adj.- harmful or evil in intent or effect
3. BUCOLIC-adj.- pastoral; country-like
4. CAPTIOUS-adj.- fault-finding; hard to please
5. CAVIL-v.- to quibble; to raise unnecessary objections
6. DECOROUS-adj.- proper, seemly, suitable
7. DELETERIOUS-adj.- harmful; injurious
8. EFFETE-adj.- worn out; spent
9. EGREGIOUS-adj.- remakably or outrageously bad
10. ESCHEW-v.- to avoid; to shun
11. FELICITOUS-adj.- well-chosen, apt
12. GERMANE-adj.- relevant; significant to the point
13. JUNTA-n.- a group usually small, secret and political
14. LACONIC-adj.- concise, succinct
15. MALIGNANT- adj.- extremely harmful; hazardous to health or life
16. MENDACIOUS-adj.- untruthful, false
17. METICULOUS- adj.- very careful; precise, detail-oriented
18. MITIGATE-v.- to relieve, make milder; to lessen the force of
19. NEOPHYTE-n.- a beginner
20. OBLOQUY-n.- abusive, defaming language or public reproach
1. OBSEQUIOUS-adj.- fawning, servile, submissively compliant
2. OSCILLATE-v.- to swing back and forth like a pendulum; vibrate, waver
3. PANDEMONIUM-n.- a wild tumult, an uproar, din
4. QUERULOUS-adj.- fretful, peevish, habitually complaining
5. RECALCITRANT-adj.- stubbornly resistant to authority or control.
6. REDOLENT-adj.- fragrant, odorous, especially suggesting the source of the smell
7. REDOUBTABLE-adj.- formidable, awesome, worthy of respect
8. SAGACIOUS-adj.- having or showing sound judgement; wise
9. TANTAMOUNT-adj.- equal in effect
10. VAGARY-n.- whim, caprice, flight of fancy
11. VERNAL-adj.- spring-like, fresh and young
12. WILY-adj.- calculating, sly, and crafty
13. ZENITH-n.- the highest point
14. ABHOR-v.- to regard with horror, to loathe, to detest
15. ACOLYTE-n.- one who assists a priest at mass, an attendant
16. ACRIMONIOUS-adj.- caustic, rancorous, bitter
17. ATAVISTIC-adj.- pertaining to the reappearance of a primitive trait or to a reversion to an earlier form
18. BANAL-adj.- commonplace, trite, predictable
19. CAJOLE-v.- to coax, to persuade by flattery or promises
20. CIRCUMLOCUTION-n.- a roundabout way of speaking
1. DEPRECATE-v.- to express disapproval of, to belittle
2. EBULLIENCE-n.- an overflow of enthusiasm
3. EFFICACY-adj.- power to produce effects or results,effectiveness
4. ENCOMIUM-n.- formal praise, a eulogy
5. FASTIDIOUS-adj.- exacting, very particular, excessively finicky
6. FRACAS-n.- an uproar, noisy quarrel, a brawl
7. GARRULOUS-adj.- talking much, loquacious
8. INVECTIVE-n.- a vehement verbal attack, a violent denunciation
9. JUDICIOUS-adj.- wise, having sound judgement
10. LICENTIOUS-adj.- morally unrestrained, dissolute, lascivious
11. FULSOME-adj.- offensively excessive, insincere
12. MAUDLIN-adj.- overly sentimental
13. MORDANT-adj.- biting, caustic, sarcastic in speech
14. NADIR-n.- the lowest point of anything
15. NEBULOUS-adj.- hazy, indistinct, vague
16. NOXIOUS-adj.- pernicious, injurious to health or morals
17. OFFICIOUS-adj.- meddlesome, offering services without being asked
18. OMNIVOROUS-adj.- eating everything- plant an animal food; taking in everything with the mind
19. PERSPICUOUS-adj.- clearly stated, lucid, easily understood
20. DEFENESTRATION-n.- the act of throwing a person or thing out of a window
1. PROLIX-adj.- long-winded, wordy, verbose
2. PUERILE-adj.- childish, foolish, trivial
3. QUANDARY-n.- dilemma, perplexing situation
4. VENIAL-adj- pertaining to a pardonable or forgiveable sin or offense
5. VITIATE-v.- to spoil, to corrupt, to weaken
6. WANTON-adj.- immoral, unchaste, malicious
7. ZEALOUS-adj.- enthusiatic, fervent
8. ABJECT-adj.- miserable, wretched, poor-spirited
9. ABSCOND-v.- to run away and hide, to flee, especially from the law
10. ACRID-adj.- sharp, bitter, stinging to the taste or smell
11. ANATHEMA-n.- a thing or person accursed, anything greatly detested
12. CIRCUMSPECT-adj.- cautious, prudent , careful
13. COTERIE-n.- a small select group; a social set, a clique
14. EXACERBATE-v.- to aggravate, to make more intense
or sharp
15. FALLACIOUS-adj.- based on error, faulty or misleading
16. IMPECUNIOUS-adj.- having no money, poor, habitually
poor
17. IMPUTATION-n.- the act of attributing or ascribing
something to another, especially a crime or fault
18. INCUBUS-n.- anything that is an oppressive or nightmarish
burden
19. PUSILLANIMOUS-adj.- cowardly, irresolute, fainthearted
20. UXORIOUS-adj.- excessively doting on or submissive to one's wife
1. ACCOLADE-n.- an award, an honor
2. SATIATE-v.- to satisfy an appetite or desire fully, to indulge to excess
3. EMOLLIENT-adj.- having a softening, soothing quality, particularly on the skin
4. HERESY-n- an opinion contrary to accepted religious or popular beliefs
5. IMPECCABLE-adj.- without fault, flawless
6. PALLID-adj.- pale, wan
7. PLEBISCITE-n.- a direct vote in which the whole population may take part, usually in regard to an important public issue
8. RAUCOUS-adj.- grating in sound, strident, harsh
9. SPORADIC-adj.- occasional, appearing in scattered or isolated instances, not widespread
10. TAUTOLOGICAL-adj.- needlessly repeating the same ideas in different words
11. DYSTOPIAN-adj.- founded upon or involving imaginary imperfection
12. DEFECTION-n.- a failure, an abandonment of loyalty or duty
13. EXTRINSIC-adj.- outer, external, not part of the essence of a thing, extraneous
14. HYPERBOLE-n.- a highly exaggerated statement or description not to be taken literally
15. INTRINSIC-adj.- belonging to the real nature of a thing or person, not depending on external circumstances
16. LABYRINTH-n.- a maze, an intricate structure of winding passages that are hard to follow
17. LINEAMENT-n.- outline of a body or face, a characteristic mark or feature
18. OBLITERATE-v.- to blot out, to erase, efface
19. PREHENSIBLE-adj.- adapted for grasping or seizing
20. REDUNDANT-adj.- unnecessarily repetitive, excessive
1. SACRILEGIOUS-adj.-irreverent to things held sacred, desecrating
2. VERACITY-n.- honesty, habitual truthfulness
3. AESTHETIC-adj.- pertaining to art or beauty
4. ALLUVIAL-adj- pertaining to silt, sand or clay deposited by flowing water, especially along a river bed
5. AUSTERE-adj.- stern, severe, harsh, lacking ornament
6. CIRCUMSPECT-adj.- cautious, prudent, careful
7. COMPLAISANT-adj.- obliging, wishing to please, amiable
8. DICHOTOMY-n.- a division into two parts or opinions
9. DORMANT-adj.- asleep, or acting as if asleep
10. ELICIT-v.- to draw forth, to evoke
11. ENNUI-n.- boredom, weariness born of dissatisfaction or inactivity
12. EQUANIMITY-n.- evenness of temper, composure
13. EXACERBATE-v.- to aggravate, make more intense or sharp
14. EXPURGATE-v.- to remove or cleanse, particularly to remove objectionable pasages from written material
15. FICKLE- adj.- changeable in affection, unstable,
capricious
16. FORENSIC-adj.- belonging to or suitable for a court
of law or public debate
17. GAMUT-n.- the entire range or extent of something
18. GUERILLA-adj.- pertaining to warfare carried on by small or isolated groups of volunteer or irregular soldiers
19. HETEROGENEOUS-adj.- composed of differing parts or elements, unlike in structure or quality
20. HYPOCHONDRIAC-n.- a person who imagines he is ill, one who habitually exaggerates his complaints
1. INFAMY-n.-very bad reputation, disgrace, notoriety, dishonor
2. INURE-v.- to cause to become used to something painful or difficult, to become hardened
3. LASCIVIOUS-adj.- lustful, wanton, lewd
4. LISSOME-adj- supple, limber, flexible
5. LURID-adj.- STARTLING, SENSATIONAL, SHOCKING
6. OLIGARCHY-n.- a form of government in which all the power is vested in a few persons
7. PAUCITY-adj.- scarcity, fewness of number, dearth
8. PERTINACIOUS-adj.- holding firmly to a purpose, belief or course of action; stubbornly persistent
9. PLATITUDE-n.- a commonplace or trite remark
10. PROLIFIC-adj.- producing many offspring, fertile, fruitful, productive
11. REPRISAL-n.- any injury done for an injury received
12. SCINTILLATING-adj.-giving off sparks, flashing, animated and brilliant
13. SPLENETIC-adj.- bad-tempered, peevish, spiteful
14. VOCIFEROUS-adj.- shouting noisily, making a loud outcy, clamorous
15. ABEYANCE- n.- a temporary suspension of an activity or function
16. ACUMEN-n.- keenness of mind
17. AFFECTATION-n.- a pretense, pose, artificial behavior meant to impress others
18. ANTIPATHY-n.- opposing in nature or character, a definite dislike, strong repugnance
19. CIRCUMVENT-v.- to go around, hence to avoid or deceive by trickery
20. ENSCONCE-v.- to shelter or conceal
1. ORATRIX-n.- a female speaker
2. EGALITARIAN-adj.- full political and social equality for all
3. DAFT-adj.- senseless and stupid
4. FEIGN-v.- to make a false show of, sham
5. KISMET-n.- fate
6. CANTANKEROUS-adj.- disagreeable
7. LUBRICIOUS- adj.- having a slippery, smooth quality
8. OCULAR-adj.- pertaining to the eye; visual
9. GALIGASKINS-n.- very loose pants
10. SQUELCH-v.- to suppress or silence completely
11. RUEFUL-adj.- inspiring pity or compassion; remorseful or sorrowful
12. AVULSE-v.- to pull or tear away forcibly
13. IMPERIUM-n.- supreme power/command
14. BILK-v.- an untrustworthy individual, a cheat
15. NEFARIOUS- adj.- flagrantly wicked
1. FILCH-v.- to pilfer or steal, usually spoken of a trivial theft
2. EXIGENCY-n.- a state of urgency, a situation requiring immediate attention.
3. EXTENUATE-v.- to lessen or weaken, especially to lessen the seriousness of an offense by presenting reasonable excuses
4. FORMIDABLE-adj- inspiring dread, fear or awe, difficult to handle or overwhelm
5. GAUCHE-adj.- awkward, lacking grace, especially social grace
6. GUILE-n.- deception, cunning, deceitful talk or conduct
7. JETTISON-v.- to throw goods overboard to lighten a craft, to discard, cast off
8. LASSITUDE-n.- a state of weariness, fatigue or weakness; languor
9. MACHINATION-n.- a clever or secret plot or intrigue, especially with evil intent
10. MERCENARY-n.- working or performing only for money or gain, greedy
11. NOISOME-adj.- harmful to health, noxious, foul-smelling
12. PELLUCID-adj.-transparent, clear, hence, easy to understand
13. REPROBATE-n.- a depraved, vicious person
14. SACROSANCT-adj.- very sacred, holy, not to be violated
15. STAID- adj.- sober, sedate, settled, steady
16. SUPERCILIOUS-adj.- proud, disdainful of others, haughty
17. TREPIDATION-n.- a trembling, quaking, fear
18. TURGID-adj.- swollen, distended, pompous
19. VACUOUS-adj.- empty, lacking thought or interest, stupid, inane
20. ZEPHYR-n.- the west wind, a warm, gentle breeze
1. IMPERVIOUS-adj.- impenetrable, unaffected, not influenced by
2. INADVERTENT-adj.- inattentive, not observant, negligent, heedless, hence unintentional
3. INFERENCE-n.- an idea or thought drawn from what has been learned, a logical conclusion
4. PROPENSITY-adj- a natural inclination, tendency, bent
5. ABDICATE-v.- to give up a high office, to relinquish power
6. ABSTEMIOUS-adj.- moderate in eating or drinking, temperate, sparing
7. ADAMANT-adj.- unyielding, firm, immovable, especially when opposed
8. DISCURSIVE-adj.- wandering from one topic to another, digressive
9. DULCET-adj.- melodious, soothing or pleasing to the ear
10. ENTENTE-n.- an understanding or agreement between two countries
11. EQUIVOCAL-adj.- having more than one meaning, misleading, questionable, ambiguous
12. ERUDITE-adj.-learned, scholarly, widely knowledgeable through reading
13. FLACCID-adj.- flabby, limp, weak
14. FORTUITOUS-adj.- happening by chance, accidental, lucky
15. SENTENTIOUS- adj.- given to speaking in aphorisms, maxims and proverbs, often in a dull, labored style
16. INGENUOUS-adj.-frank, open, straightforward
17. LATENT-adj.- hidden, dormant, waiting to be revealed
18. MERETRICIOUS-adj.- enticing by artificial, showy charms; tawdry
19. PROPINQUITY-adj.- nearness in time or place, kinship, likeness or affinity
20. STOLID-adj.- showing little emotion or awareness, impassive