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