vocabulary workshop level d units 1-4
pompous
"preppy", manner excessively
rift
a break, a split
dilema
a difficult situation
dissent
a disagreement
adherent
a follower, supporter
anarchy
a lack of government and law
semblance
a likeness, an appearance
marauder
a raider, a pirate
deadlock
a standstill resulting from the opposition of two equal forces or fractions to bring to a standstill
reprieve
a temporary relief
precipice
a very steep cliff, edge of disaster
access
admittance to places, persons, things to get at
altercation
an angry argument
breach
an opening, a gap to create an opening
irate
angry
terse
brief and to the point
lucrative
bringing in money, moneymaking
fortify
build up
circumspect
careful, cautious
cumbersome
clumsy, slow moving
trite
commonplace, overused
fated
determine in advance by destiny
exorcise
dispose of something troublesome, expel
pliant
easily influenced
obesity
excessive fatness
pauper
extremely poor person
eminent
famous, outstanding
auspicious
favorable, fortunate
fodder
food for horses or cattle, raw material
expulsion
forcing out
disentangle
free from tangles or complications
arduous
hard to do, requires much effort
illegible
impossible to read
perennial
lasting for a long time a plant that lives for many years
dissolute
loose in one's morals or behavior
erratic
not regular or consistent, different
spurious
not true, not valid
mediocre
ordinary, normal, average
comely
pleasing appearance
biased
prejudiced, favoring one side over the other
cherubic
resembling an angel portrayed as a little child with a perfect face,
brigand
robber, highwayman
abscond
run off and hide
debris
scattered fragments, wreckage
unflinching
showing no signs of fear
larceny
stealing, theft
alien
strange, foreign
opinionated
stubborn, having a closed mind
spasmodic
sudden and violent but brief
feint
to "fake" something, to trick
revile
to attack with words
terminate
to bring to an end
incinerate
to burn to ashes
admonish
to caution or advice against something
subjugate
to conquer by force, to bring under complete control
relinquish
to give up
predispose
to incline to beforehand
muddle
to make a mess of
jeer
to make fun of
rectify
to make right, correct
abridge
to make shorter
fabricate
to make, manufacture
adjourn
to move from one place to another
surmount
to overcome
daunt
to overcome with fear
condone
to pardon or overlook
compensate
to repay for services
salvage
to save from a fire or shipwreck
usurp
to seize and hold position by force without right
commandeer
to seize for military or official use
sully
to soil, to stain
diffuse
to spread
proliferate
to spread rapidly, to reproduce
pilfer
to steal in small quantities
hoodwink
to trick, to mislead
efface
to wipe out, keep yourself from being noticed
tantalize
torment by teasing
unbridled
uncontrolled, unrestrained
intrepid
very brave
inanimate
without energy or spirit, lifeless