Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level E

ambidextrous

(adj) able to use both hands equally well; very skillful; deceitful, hypocritical; (Occasionally a teacher will come across a child who displays ambidextrous abilities when taught to write)

pungent

(adj) causing a sharp sensation, stinging, biting; (The kitchen of the French restaurant was filled with the pungent aroma of onion soup)

nonchalant

(adj) cool and confident, unconcerned; (The elegantly dressed couple strolled down the boulevard with a nonchalant air)

craven

(adj) cowardly, (n) a coward; (Those who urged Great Britain to make peace with Hitler were criticized for their craven attitude. It is a mistake to assume that everyone who refuses to war is a craven who lacks patriotism)

facile

(adj) easily done or attained, superficial, ready, fluent, easily shown but not sincerely felt; (Writing is a facile process for some authors but a laborious task for others)

venial

(adj) easily excused, pardonable; (Someone whose offense is deemed by the judge to be venial may be ordered to perform community service)

scrupulous

(adj) exact, careful, attending thoroughly to details, having high moral standards, principled; (Scientists are trained to record their observations with scrupulous accuracy)

tentative

(adj) experimental in nature, uncertain, hesitant; (Negotiators have come up with a tentative agreement that will keep both sides at the bargaining table past the strike deadline)

meticulous

(adj) extremely careful, particular about details; (If you have a full-time job outside the home, you may find it exceedingly difficult to be a meticulous housekeeper)

virulent

(adj) extremely poisonous, full of malice, spiteful; (The First Amendment protects the right of free speech for everyone, even those with virulent views that are repugnant to most people)

truculent

(adj) fierce and cruel, agressive, deadly, destructive, scathingly harsh; (People with truculent dispositions can make life miserable for those who have to work with them)

cogent

(adj) forceful, convincing, relevant, to the point; (A group of legal scholars held a press conference to present a cogent plea for reform of the state's prison system)

infallible

(adj) free from error, absolutely dependable; (Some critics seem convinced that their expert knowledge makes them infallible judges of the quality of an artist's work)

belligerent

(adj) given to fighting, warlike, combative, agressive; (n) one at war, one engaged in war (I did not expect such a belligerent answer to my request for directions, After each belligerent signed the peace treaty, the war was declared officially over)

cursory

(adj) hasty, not thorough (The mayor gave a final cursory glance at the text of her speech before mounting the podium)

averse

(adj) having a deep-seated distaste, opposed, unwilling; (You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you are averse to strenuous exercise)

finite

(adj) having limits, lasting for a limited time; (There are only a finite number of possible answers to a multiple-choice question)

punitive

(adj) inflicting or aiming at punishment; (The general led a punitive expedition against the rebel forces)

insidious

(adj) intended to deceive or entrap, sly, treacherous; (The investigators uncovered an insidious scheme to rob people of their life savings)

benevolent

(adj) kindly, charitable (The newcomers had nothing but benevolent feelings toward all their neighbors)

omniscient

(adj) knowing everything, having unlimited awareness or understanding; (Scientists today have so much specialized knowledge that they sometimes seem omniscient)

tepid

(adj) lukewarm, unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest; (A cup of tepid tea will not warm you up on a chilly morning)

chivalrous

(adj) marked by honor, courtesy, and courage, knightly; (In today's busy world, where people are often heedless of others, a chivalrous act is admired by all)

remiss

(adj) neglectful in performance of one's duty, careless; (When I am remiss in doing daily chores, I have to spend a big part of the weekend catching up)

invulnerable

(adj) not able to be wounded or hurt; shielded against attack; (Medieval lords did everything possible to make their castles invulnerable fortresses)

impervious

(adj) not affected or hurt by, admitting of no passage or entrance; (It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic cover that is impervious to moisture)

unkempt

(adj) not combed, untidy, not properly maintained, unpolished, rude; (According to my parents, the latest fashions make me and my friends look unkempt)

stolid

(adj) not easily moved mentally or emotionally, dull, unresponsive; (Stolid people can generally be expected to take most things in stride)

culinary

(adj) of or related to cooking or the kitchen; (Cooking shows on television have helped many people to master the secrets of the culinary arts)

amicable

(adj) peaceable, friendly; (Sometimes mediation by a neutral individual can lead to an amicable settlement of a dispute)

fallow

(adj) plowed but not seeded, inactive, reddish yellow, (n) left unseeded), (v) to plow but not seed; (After a month without a date, I decided that my social life was definitely in a fallow period. In the drought-stricken region, there were millions of acres of fallow. Farmers often fallow a third of their fields each year to restore the chemical balance of the soil)

feasible

(adj) possible, able to be done; (Our city needs to develop a feasible plan of action for dealing with storms and other emergencies)

supercilious

(adj) proud and conemptuous, showing scorn because of a feeling of superiority; (Their supercilious attitude toward their servants was extremely offensive)

temerity

(adj) rashness, boldness; (Few of his subordinates had the temerity to answer the general back)

urbane

(adj) refined in manner or style, suave; (An urbane host puts guests at ease by appearing totally confident and unruffled no matter what happens)

diffident

(adj) shy, lacking self-confidence, modest, reserved; (Many a diffident suitor has lost his beloved to a bold rival)

unfeigned

(adj) sincere, real, without pretense; (The novelist won high praise for her ability to portray the unfeigned emotions of children)

adroit

(adj) skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind; (Many rodeo performers are adroit at twirling a rope while on horseback)

negligible

(adj) so unimportant that it can be disregarded; (After taxes are deducted, a small raise in salary may result in a negligible increase in take-home pay)

malevolent

(adj) spiteful, showing ill will; (While pretending to be a loyal friend, Iago told Othello malevolent lies)

dour

(adj) stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored; (Dickens's Mr. Gradgrind in the novel Hard Times is an example of a character with a dour and sullen disposition)

inclement

(adj) stormy, harsh, severe in attitude or action; (During an inclement New England winter, heavy snowfalls may bring highway traffic to a standstill)

uncanny

(adj) strange, mysterious, weird, beyond explanation; (It is highly unusual for a beginner to display such an uncanny skill at playing bridge)

indomitable

(adj) unconquerable, refusing to yield; (All who hear of the remarkable deeds of Harriet Tubman admire her indomitable courage in the face of grave danger)

altruistic

(adj) unselfish, concerned with the welfare of others; (Most people support altruistic programs to help the less fortunate of this world)

pliable

(adj); easily bent, flexible, easily influenced; (Spools of pliable copper wire are standard equipment for many kinds of maintenance workers, including electricians)

opulent

(adj); wealthy, luxurious, ample, grandiose; (The tour guide showed us the opulent living quarters of the royal family)

verbatim

(adj, adv) word for word, exactly as written or spoken; (Newspapers often publish the verbatim text of an important political speech. At the swearing-in ceremony, the Chief Justice reads each line of the Oath of Office, and the new President repeats it verbatim)

bereft

(adj, participle) deprived of, made unhappy through a loss; (Individuals who live to be very old may eventually find themselves completely bereft of friends and family)

affiliated

(adj, participle); assosciated, connected; (Being affiliated with a well-known law firm is often the first step on the way to a successful political career)

warily

(adv) cautiously, with great care; (The hikers made their way warily up the steep and rocky trail)

demise

(n) a death, especially of a person in a lofty position; (Traditionally, the tolling of the church bells has announced the demise of a monarch)

discrepancy

(n) a difference, a lack of agreement; (Discrepancy in the testimony of witnesses to a crime can have a decisive impact on the outcome of a trial)

intimation

(n) a hint, indirect suggestion; (They were too proud to give any intimation of their financial difficulties)

dearth

(n) a lack, scarcity, inadequate supply, a famine; (An employer may complain of a dearth of qualified applicants for available jobs)

holocaust

(n) a large-scale destruction, especially by fire, a vast slaughter, a burnt offering; (Journalists at the time were eager to interview survivors of the Chicago holocaust)

nostalgia

(n) a longing for something past, homesickness; (Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can bring on a vague sense of nostalgia for days gone by and friends no longer near)

impetus

(n) a moving force, impulse, stimulus; (The coming of winter gave a new impetus to the appeals for food and clothing for needy families)

panacea

(n) a remedy for all ills, cure-all, an answer to all problems; (You are mistaken if you think that getting more money will be a panacea for all your troubles)

artifice

(n) a skillful or ingenious device, a clever trick, a clever skill, trickery; (Even the most renowned art experts were completely taken in by the forger's artifice)

sojourn

(n) a temporary stay; (v) to stay for a time (No matter how short your sojourn in Paris, you must take the time to go to the Louvre. Many American graduates sojourn abroad before they begin working full-time at home)

grimace

(n) a wry face, a facial distortion; (v) to make a wry face; (The grimace of the refugee in the photograph reveals the pain of homelessness, Most people grimace at the mere sound of the dentist's drill)

attainment

(n) an accomplishment, the act of achieving; (In addition to his abilities as a leader, Abraham Lincoln was a man of high literary attainment)

adversary

(n) an enemy, opponent; (A best friend off the tennis court can also be a fierce adversary on it)

precedent

(n) an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action; (We hope that students at other schools in our city will follow our precedent in volunteer work and charitable contributions)

guise

(n) an external appearance, cover, mask; (The thieves gained entry to the home by presenting themselves in the guise of police officers)

fortitude

(n) courage in facing difficulties; (The residents of the Mississippi delta showed remarkable fortitude during and after the flood that destroyed their homes and businesses)

jeopardy

(n) danger; (Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake can put an entire expedition in serious jeopardy)

clemency

(n) mercy, humaneness, mildness, moderateness; (Many judges are willing to show clemency to first offenders who express regret for their wrongdoing)

benefactor

(n) one who does good to others; (Without the help of many benefactors, most charities would be unable to carry out their work)

quintessence

(n) the purest essence or form of something, the most typical example; (Risking one's own life to save the lives of others is considered the quintessence of selfless valor)

duplicity

(n) treachery, deceitfulness; (We found it difficult to believe that our good friend could be capable of such duplicity)

coerce

(v) to compel, force; (Dictators try to coerce their subjects into obedience by threatening them or their families with punishment)

adulterate

(v) to corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value; (Hospitals take strict precautions to assure that nothing adulterates the blood supply)

harass

(v) to disturb, worry, trouble by repeated attacks; (The judge repeatedly cautioned the prosecuting attorney not to harass the witness)

exhilarate

(v) to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to; (The first landing on the moon exhilarated the nation)

expunge

(v) to erase, obliterate, destroy; (The judge ordered the remarks expunged from the court record)

delete

(v) to erase, wipe out, cut out; (Crime labs can determine whether an attempt has been made to delete material from audiotapes)

scrutinize

(v) to examine closely; (Lawyers are paid to scrutinize legal papers and explain the fine print to their clients)

assent

(v) to express agreement, (n) agreement; (Workers hope that the thread of a long strike will force management to assent to their demands. Romeo and Juliet knew they would never gain their feuding families' assent to marry)

ascertain

(v) to find out; (We need to ascertain what it will cost to remodel our kitchen)

bequeath

(v) to give or pass on as an inheritance; (Few people will make enough money in their lifetimes to be in a position to bequeath a fortune to their heirs)

embark

(v) to go aboard, to make a start, to invest; (Columbus spent years raising money before he was able to embark on his perilous ocean voyage in search of a passage to the Far East)

augment

(v) to make larger, increase; (Many couples have to augment their income in order to pay the mortgage on a new home)

perpetuate

(v) to make permanent or long lasting; (In most cultures, people try to perpetuate the customs of their ancestors)

skulk

(v) to move about stealthily, to lie in hiding (The burglar skulked in the alley looking for a way to get into the darkened jewelry store without attracting the attention of anyone who might be nearby)

retrogress

(v) to move backward, to return to an earlier condition; (In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion retrogressed into a state of barbarism and anarchy)

converge

(v) to move toward one point, approach nearer together; (The television coverage resumed as soon as the delegates converged on the hall to hear the keynote speaker's address)

deploy

(v) to position or arrange, to utilize, to form up; (A bugle call is a signal used to deploy troops for inspection, parade, or battle)

extol

(v) to praise extravagantly; (Many inspiring stories and plays have been written that extol the heroic deeds of Joan of Arc)

esteem

(v) to regard highly, (n) a highly favorable opinion or judgment; (In traditional Native American cultures, young people are taught to esteem their ancestors. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court should be someone whom all parties hold in high esteem)

repose

(v) to rest, lie, place (n) relaxation, peace of mind, calmness; (The mortal remains of thousands who fell in America's wars repose in Arlington National Cemetery. After spending all day with others, you may wish for a period of repose before dinner)

reiterate

(v) to say again, repeat; (Effective speakers often reiterate an important statement for emphasis)

disperse

(v) to scatter, spread far and wide; (When a scuffle broke out, the commissioner ordered the police to disperse the crowd)

redress

(v) to set right, remedy; (n) relief from wrong or injury; (An apology can go a long way to redress the hurt feelings caused by an insensitive comment or a thoughtless act. The accident victims will seek redress for the injuries they suffered in the train crash)

gape

(v) to stare at with an open mouth, to open the mouth wide, to open wide; (First-time visitors to Niagara Falls can be expected to gape at the spectacular sights nature has provided for them)

muse

(v) to think about in a dreamy way, ponder; (Philosophers have always mused on the meaning of life)

alienate

(v) to turn away, make indifferent or hostile, to transfer, convey; (Gossiping and backbiting are bad habits that are bound to alienate friends)

gibe

(v) to utter taunting words; (The recruits rushed into battle so that no one could gibe at them for cowardice); (n) an expression of scorn; (Voters may reject a candidate who resorts to personal gibe instead of discussing the issues)

plod

(v) to walk heavily or slowly, to work slowly; (After the blizzard, we had to plod through deep snowdrifts to reach the nearest stores)