Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 1 - 7
Nominal
(adj.) Existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
Noncommittal
(adj.) Not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no
Seditious
(adj.) Resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government
Adventitious
(adj.) Resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital
Inadvertent
(adj.) Resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental
Circuitous
(adj.) Roundabout, not direct
Fractious
(adj.) Tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
Tenuous
(adj.) Thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported
brusque
(adj.) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
surreptitious
(adj.) acting or doing something stealthily
intrinsic
(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part
Salutary
(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
Vitriolic
(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)
Scathing
(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
lurid
(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
anomalous
(adj.) deviating from what is normal; abnormal
Vapid
(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
unctuous
(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable
bizarre
(adj.) extremely strange, unusual
Straitlaced
(adj.) extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
Equitable
(adj.) fair, just, embodying principles of justice
Sepulchral
(adj.) funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
Transient
(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time
occult
(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural
Unwieldy
(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
immutable
(adj.) not subject to change, constant
petulant
(adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset
vicarious
(adj.) performed, suffered, or experienced by one person in place of another
provincial
(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony
bombastic
(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
Axiomatic
(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle
stringent
(adj.) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste
stalwart
(adj.) strong and sturdy; brave; resolute (n.) brave person, mainstay
Soporific
(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep
hackneyed
(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality
heinous
(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful
jaded
(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
callow
(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers
meritorious
(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise
ex officio
(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office
Proclivity
(n.) A natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)
Ferment
(n.) A state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
Sangfroid
(n.) Composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances
Acculturation
(n.) The modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend
fetter
(n.) a chain, shackle, or something that confines or restrains; (v.) to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent
coalition
(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose
aspersion
(n.) a damaging or derogatory statement
megalomania
(n.) a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, far in excess of reality
hiatus
(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)
Amnesty
(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
innuendo
(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense)
demagogue
(n.) a leader who tries to get support by making false claims and promises
millennium
(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy
sinecure
(n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
Precept
(n.) a rule of conduct or action
prerogative
(n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence
epitome
(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
Caveat
(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
decadence
(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence
interloper
(n.) one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder
insurgent
(n.) one who rebels or rises against authority; (adj.) refusing to accept authority, rising in revolt
aplomb
(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence, perpendicularity
drivel
(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly
Autonomy
(n.) self-government, political control
umbrage
(n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion
approbation
(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval
ennui
(n.) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest
lassitude
(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy
Ascribe
(v.) To assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute
Enjoin
(v.) To direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit; to urge someone
Abominate
(v.) To have an intense dislike or hatred for
Expedite
(v.) To make easy, cause to progress faster, speed up
Commiserate
(v.) To sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
Wheedle
(v.) To use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end
Blazon
(v.) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
expostulate
(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning
transmute
(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
contrive
(v.) to create or bring about by deliberate use of skill
elicit
(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)
precipitate
(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process
disabuse
(v.) to free from deception, error, or misconception
Extricate
(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
transgress
(v.) to go beyond a limit; to sin, violate a law
ameliorate
(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
simulate
(v.) to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of
inveigh
(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
Expiate
(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert
assuage
(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench
ingratiate
(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)
Flout
(v.) to mock, treat with contempt
cajole
(v.) to persuade through flattery or artifice
intercede
(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement
castigate
(v.) to punish or criticize severely
transcend
(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed
pillage
(v.) to rob of goods by open force (as in war), plunder; (n.) the act of looting; booty
permeate
(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak through
Peculate
(v.) to steal something that has been given into one's trust; to take improperly for one's own use
Filch
(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
surmise
(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof
exhort
(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly
infringe
(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
Scourge
(v.) to whip, punish severely; (n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source of severe punishment or criticism
infraction
a breaking of a law or obligation, violation
resilient
adj; able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
scurrilous
adj; coarsely abusive, vulgar, or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed
affable
adj; courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
irrevocable
adj; incapable of being changed or called back
inscrutable
adj; incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
querulous
adj; peevish, complaining, fretful
sedulous
adj; persistent, showing industry and determination
insular
adj; relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
erudite
adj; scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
amorphous
adj; shapeless, without definite form, of no particular type or character; without organization, unity or cohesion
sleazy
adj; thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable
gossamer
adj; thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n) a very thin, light cloth
crass
coarse, unfeeling; stupid, crude, vulgar
grandiose
grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated
redoubtable
inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent; formidable, fearsome
propensity
n; a natural inclination or predilection towards
contraband
n; illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited
aura
n; that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
vulnerable
open to attack; capable of being wounded
cadaverous
pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse; wasted; haggard
beneficent
performing acts of kindness or charity; doing good; humanitarian
austere
severe or stern in manner; w.o adornment or luxury, simple, plain; forbidding
restitution
the act of restoring someone/thing to the rightful owner/former state; making good on a loss; compensation
desecrate
to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently; to contaminate, pollute, profane
disconcert
to confuse; to disturb the composure of, upset
reprove
to find fault with, scold, rebuke, chide
debase
to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, cheapen
mitigate
to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity, lessen
concoct
to prepare by combining ingredients, to devise, fabricate, invent
prate
to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion, prattle
inconsequential
trifling, unimportant, trivial, negligible
remonstrate
v; to argue with someone against something, protest against
repudiate
v; to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
infer
v; to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought, suggest, imply
aggrandize
v; to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
reverberate
v; to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected quickly
punctilous
very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety