vocabulary workshop level g units 1 and 2

coherent

(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

myopic

(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

invidious

(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

overt

(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

histrionic

(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

intransigent

(adj.) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

germane

(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

insatiable

(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

devious

(adj.) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

carping

(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism

pejorative

(adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

summarily

(adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

encomium

(n) A formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

animadversion

(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

halcyon

(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

reconnaissance

(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

maelstrom

(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

talisman

(n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

largesse

(n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

sacrilege

(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

gambit

(n.) in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

celerity

(n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

propriety

(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

accost

(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

eschew

(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from

congeal

(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

arrogate

(v.) to claim or take without right

substantiate

(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

emulate

(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

undulate

(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

temporize

(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise

belabor

(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

tenable

(adj.) capable of being held or defended

incendiary

(adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n.) one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

avid

(adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

taciturn

(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

banal

(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace

brackish

(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

acquisitive

(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

suppliant

(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor