SAT Final Definitions

discordant

(adj.) Not harmonious; conflicting; harsh sounding

devoid

(adj.) Not having or using, lacking

pivotal

(adj.) Of vital or critical importance; Essential

pertinent

(adj.) Relating to the matter at hand; Relevant; To the point

churlish

(adj.) Rude, lacking good manners or politeness

stoical

(adj.) Seemingly unaffected by pleasure or pain; Unemotional; Impassive

solicitous

(adj.) Showing concern or care

tawdry

(adj.) Showy, cheap and tacky; Gaudy

oblique

(adj.) Slanting or sloping; Indirect

volatile

(adj.) Tending toward violence; Explosive

awry

(adj.) Turned or twisted to one side; (adv.) In a position that is turned or twisted toward one side, askew

servile

(adj.) Very submissive, like a slave

indiscriminate

(adj.) Without a restraint or control; Unselective

epitaph

(n.) A brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone

incognito

(n.) A person in disguise; (adj.) Having one's identity concealed or under disguise; (adv.) With the real identity concealed

recourse

(n.) A person or thing turned to for help or advice; The act of seeking helper or protection

recluse

(n.) A person who lives in seclusion or apart from society; A hermit

juncture

(n.) A point in time, especially a crucial one; A joint or connection

wallow

(n.) A pool of water or mud where animals roll around; (v.) To roll about or lie in water, snow, mud, etc. for refreshment

vie

(v.) To compete; To strive for victory or superiority

assert

(v.) To declare or state with force or confidence, to defend strongly

ostracize

(v.) To exclude from public or private favor; To banish

convey

(v.) To express; To communicate something

deplore

(v.) To feel or express regret of disapproval

venerate

(v.) To feel or show deep respect for, especially due to age or tradition; To honor

ensue

(v.) To follow in order; To come afterward; To result

bestow

(v.) To give as an honor; To present as a gift

deface

(v.) To injure or destroy the appearance of; To damage, mar or disfigure

annul

(v.) To make or declare void or invalid, as a marriage or a law; To nullify

jostle

(v.) To make or force one's way by pushing

scoff

(v.) To mock; To treat with derision or scorn

rankle

(v.) To produce irritation or bitter resentment; To irritate

regale

(v.) To provide with great enjoyment; To entertain

peruse

(v.) To read or examine, typically with great care

delve

(v.) To search deeply and thoroughly; To dig; To investigate

appease

(v.) To soothe by quieting anger; To calm or make satisfied

sustain

(v.) To support, nourish, keep up; To maintain

capitulate

(v.) To surrender or give up, end resistance; To throw in the towel

preclude

(v.) to prevent the occurrence of; to make impossible; to exclude from something

avowed

(adj.) Acknowledged or declared openly without shame

plausible

(adj.) Appearing to be true, reasonable, or fair

divergent

(adj.) Approaching different directions; Moving apart

veritable

(adj.) Being real or true; Genuine

audacious

(adj.) Bold, adventurous, recklessly daring

pert

(adj.) Characterized by a light and exuberant quality; Boldly forward in speech or behavior; Saucy

aloof

(adj.) Distant or reserved in manner; Withdrawn or remote; Uncaringly distant

voracious

(adj.) Eating with greediness or in very large quantities; Ravenous

whimsical

(adj.) Erratic in behavior or degree of unpredictability; Impulsive; Tending to act on sudden fanciful ideas

skittish

(adj.) Extremely nervous and easily frightened; Shy or timid; Extremely cautious

gaunt

(adj.) Extremely thin and bony; Bleak, desolate and barren

resolute

(adj.) Firm or determined; Set in purpose or opinion and not willing to change one's mind

jaunty

(adj.) Lighthearted; Animated; Easy and carefree

detriment

(n.) Harm, loss, something that causes damage, depreciation, or loss

proximity

(n.) Nearness; Closeness

scapegoat

(n.) One that bears the blame for others

laggard

(n.) One who falls behind others because of moving slowly; (adj.) Moving, developing or responding slowly, sluggish

wanton

(n.) One who is immoral; One who is undisciplined or spoiled; (adj.) Done in an unjust, cruel or malicious manner, uncalled-for

avail

(n.) Use, benefit, or advantage; (v.) To be of use, value or advantage, to help

proxy

(n.) a person who is given the authority to act or stand in for another

entail

(n.) A restriction on property by limiting inheritance; (v.) To involve by necessity or as a consequence

tether

(n.) A rope, chain, or similar restraint for holding something in place; (v.) To fasten with a rope, chain or the like

excise

(n.) A tax on unnecessary goods; (v.) To remove by or as if by cutting

taint

(n.) A trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful, a stain; (v.) To stain, tarnish, or contaminate

myriad

(n.) A vast number of something; (adj.) Too numerous to be counted

repercussion

(n.) An effect or consequence of some action or event, result

barter

(n.) An exchange of goods without using money; (v.) To trade one kind of good for another without using money

tenet

(n.) An opinion, doctrine, or principle held as being true by a person or especially by an organization; A doctrine

fallacy

(n.) Any unsound mode of reasoning, or anything based on such reasoning; An error in thinking

mein

(n.) Appearance, demeanor or look; One's appearance or manner

finesse

(n.) Extreme delicacy or subtlety in action, performance, skill or discrimination; (v.) To accomplish by using cleverness, skill or good judgement

trepidation

(n.) Fear and apprehension; A state of alarm or dread

impunity

(n.) Freedom from punishment, loss or harm