Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 15

enigmatic

(adj.) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood syn: baffling, mysterious, inexplicable ant: intelligible, understandable, fathomable

impromptu

(adj., adv.) without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done; (n.) an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation syn: (adj.) spontaneous, improvised, unrehearsed ant: (adj.) rehearsed, planned, prepared, premeditated

brouhaha

(n.) a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified syn: furor, hullabaloo, tumult, pandemonium

bulwark

(n.) a strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense; (v.) to provide such defense or protection syn: (n.) stronghold, citadel, bastion, rampart ant: (n.) breach, weak point in the defense

presentiment

(n.) a vague sense of approaching misfortune syn: foreboding, premonition, hunch

deference

(n.) courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by submission, as to a superior syn: respect, consideration, courtesy ant: contempt, disrespect, scorn, disdain

onus

(n.) something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma; blame syn: burden, obligation, duty, stigma

demeanor

(n.) the way a person behave, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearance, mien syn: conduct, behavior, bearing, carriage

curtail

(v.) to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce syn: limit, abbreviate, abridge, contract ant: protract, extend

thwart

(v.) to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate syn: foil, baffle ant: aid, assist, abet, further

remit

(v.) to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer syn: pay, absolve, subside, abate

mollify

(v.) to soften, make gentle, pacify; to calm, allay (as an emotion), assuage, appease, placate; to reduce in intensity ant: enrage, anger, aggravate, exacerbate

cloy

(v.) to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things; to glut, satiate, surfeit ant: stimulate, whet

adamant

(adj.) firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible; (n.) an extremely hard substance ant: (adj.) yielding, flexible, pliable

profligate

(adj.) given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; (n.) a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending syn: (adj.) prodigal, improvident; (n.) spendthrift ant: (adj.) penny-pinching, frugal, economical

requisite

(adj.) needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable syn: required, obligatory, incumbent ant: nonessential, superfluous, optional

sartorial

(adj.) of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men's)

definitive

(adj.) conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done syn: exhaustive, authoritative ant: tentative, inconclusive

choleric

(adj.) easily made angry, bad-tempered syn: irascible, testy, splenetic, bilious ant: affable, genial, even-tempered

mawkish

(adj.) excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor syn: sentimentalized, maudlin, mushy, nauseating ant: unsentimental, callous, insensitive