Vocabulary Workshop Level A Final Exam - DEFINITIONS

disquieting

(adj.) causing uneasiness or worry

glum

(adj.) depressed, gloomy

responsive

(adj.) answering or replying; reacting readily to requests, suggestions, etc.; showing interest and understanding

unscrupulous

(adj.) dishonest; not guided or controlled by moral principles

pantomime

(n.) a play or story performed without words by actors using only gestures; (v.) to express in this way

trait

(n.) a quality or characteristic (especially of personality); a distinguishing feature

sanctuary

(n.) a sacred or holy place; refuge or protection from capture or punishment; a place of refuge or protection

audition

(n.) a trial hearing for a performer; (v.) to conduct or perform such a hearing

misapprehension

(n.) a wrong idea, misunderstanding

atrocity

(n.) an extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel act; something very bad or unpleasant

supplement

(n.) something added to complete a thing or make up for a lack; a section added to a book or document; (v.) to provide such an addition or completion

append

(v.) to attach, add, or tack on as a supplement or extra item

adhere

(v.) to stick to, remain attached; to be devoted or loyal as a follower or supporter

cope

(v.) to struggle successfully against; to prove to be a match for, deal with satisfactorily; (n.) a long religious cloak; a canopy

detract

(v.) to take away from; reduce in value or reputation

sham

(adj.) fake, not genuine; (n.) something false pretending to be genuine; a pretender; a decorated pillow covering; (v.) to pretend

wistful

(adj.) full of melancholy yearning or longing, sad, pensive

celestial

(adj.) having to do with the sky or heavens; heavenly; yielding great bliss or happiness

wholesome

(adj.) healthy; morally and socially sound and good; helping to bring about or preserve good health

submissive

(adj.) humbly obedient; tending to give in to authority, obeying without protest

sulky

(adj.) in a bad or nasty mood, resentful; gloomy

self-seeking

(adj.) selfishly ambitious

fluent

(adj.) speaking or writing easily and smoothly, flowing gracefully

far-fetched

(adj.) strained or improbable (in the sense of not being logical or believable), going far afield from a topic

uncouth

(adj.) unrefined, crude; awkward or clumsy

berserk

(adj., adv.) violently and destructively enraged

replica

(n.) a copy, close reproduction

beacon

(n.) a light or other signal that warns and guides; a lighthouse; anything that guides or inspires

epic

(n.) a long narrative poem (or other literary composition) about the deeds of heroes; and event or movement of great sweep; (adj.) on a grand scale, vast, titanic

encounter

(n.) a meeting (especially one that is unplanned); a meeting of enemies, battle; (v.) to meet or come upon

puncture

(n.) a small hole made by a sharp object; (v.) to make such a hole, pierce

upheaval

(n.) a sudden, violent upward movement; great disorder or radical change

precaution

(n.) care taken beforehand; a step or action taken to prevent something from happening

allegiance

(n.) loyalty or obligation owed to a government, nation, or cause

pessimist

(n.) one who believes or expects the worst; prophet of doom

optimist

(n.) one who expects things to turn out for the best; someone who looks on the bright side of things

taskmaster

(n.) one whose job it is to assign work to others; one who uses his or her power to make people work very hard

data

(pl. n.) information; facts, figures, statistics

prosecute

(v.) to bring before a court of law for trial; to carry out

transform

(v.) to change completely in appearance or form; to make into something else

tally

(v.) to count up; to keep score; to make entries for reckoning; to correspond or agree; (n.) a total or score

enumerate

(v.) to count; to name one by one, list

affirm

(v.) to declare to be true, state positively; to confirm

deter

(v.) to discourage, scare off, or prevent through fear or doubt

accommodate

(v.) to do a favor or service for, help out; to provide for, supply with; to have space for; to make fit or suitable

underscore

(v.) to draw a line under; to put special emphasis on; (n.) a line drawn under something

retaliate

(v.) to get revenge; to strike back for an injury

empower

(v.) to give power or authority to; to enable; to permit

surge

(v.) to have a heavy, violent, swelling motion (like waves); (n.) a powerful forward rush

mangle

(v.) to injure very seriously by cutting, tearing, crushing, etc.; to bring to ruin

exalt

(v.) to make high in rank, power, character, or quality; to fill with pride, joy, or noble feeling; to praise, honor

stupefy

(v.) to make stupid, dull, or groggy; to surprise or astonish

lag

(v.) to move slowly or fall behind; to bring up the near; (n.) a falling behind; the amount by which something or someone is falling behind; an interval

extort

(v.) to obtain by violence, misuse of authority, or threats

commemorate

(v.) to preserve, honor, or celebrate the memory of

chasten

(v.) to punish (in order to bring about improvement in behavior, attitude, etc.); to restrain, moderate

prowl

(v.) to roam about stealthily in search of something

confiscate

(v.) to seize by authority; to take and keep

abstain

(v.) to stay away from doing something by one's own choice

amalgamate

(v.) to unite; to combine elements into a unified whole