Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8, Unit 9, Unit 10, Unit 11, Unit 12, Unit 13, Unit 14, Unit 15
acquisitive
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property
imminent
(adj.) about to happen, threatening
reputed
(adj.) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; (part.) alleged
seraphic
(adj.) angelic, heavenly, celestial
felicitous
(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
suppliant
(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor
cognizant
(adj.) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction
bestial
(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility
mordant
(adj.) biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh
beatific
(adj.) blissful; rendering or making blessed
obtuse
(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90 and 180 degrees; not causing a sharp impression
onerous
(adj.) burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty
tenable
(adj.) capable of being held or defended
indubitable
(adj.) certain, not to be doubted or denied
bucolic
(adj.) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral
manifest
(adj.) clear, evident to the eyes or mind; (v.) to show plainly, exhibit, evince; (n.) a list of cargo and/or passengers
rife
(adj.) common, prevalent, widespread, happening often; full, abounding; plentiful, abundant, replete
plenary
(adj.) complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute; attended by all qualified members
consummate
(adj.) complete or perfect in the highest degree; (v.) to bring to a state of completion or perfection
ambient
(adj.) completely surrounding, encompassing
overweening
(adj.) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate
laconic
(adj.) concise, using few words
pecuniary
(adj.) consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money
pusillanimous
(adj.) contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited
sumptuous
(adj.) costly, rich, magnificent
murky
(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision
abject
(adj.) degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved
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
delectable
(adj.) delightful, highly enjoyable; deliciously flavored, savory; (n.) an appealing or appetizing food or dish
avid
(adj.) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager
primordial
(adj.) developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic
epicurean
(adj.) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease; with discriminating tastes; (n.) a person with discriminating tastes
perfunctory
(adj.) done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm
furtive
(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen
eclectic
(adj.) drawn from different sources; (n.) one whose beliefs are drawn from various sources
moribund
(adj.) dying, on the way out
mundane
(adj.) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary
testy
(adj.) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation
luminous
(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating
tantamount
(adj.) equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect
captious
(adj.) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up
plaintive
(adj.) expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy
chary
(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
abtruse
(adj.) extremely difficult to understand
inordinate
(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive
impeccable
(adj.) faultless, beyond criticism or blame
convivial
(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial
febrile
(adj.) feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic
utopian
(adj.) founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical
redolent
(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura
frenetic
(adj.) frenzied, highly agitated
fecund
(adj.) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive
fraught
(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by
putative
(adj.) generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred
benign
(adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant
mendacious
(adj.) given to lying or deception; untrue
garish
(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way
verdant
(adj.) green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgment
macabre
(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
taciturn
(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little
banal
(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace
cacophonous
(adj.) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant
vituperative
(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding
viscous
(adj.) having a gelatinous or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity
brackish
(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
impecunious
(adj.) having little or no money
peremptory
(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute
coherent
(adj.) holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful
jocular
(adj.) humorous, jesting, jolly, joking
irrefutable
(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument
recumbent
(adj.) in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting
irreparable
(adj.) incapable of being repaired or rectified
inexorable
(adj.) inflexible, beyond influence; relentless, unyielding
esoteric
(adj.) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret
nascent
(adj.) just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence
feckless
(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable
lackadaisical
(adj.) lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
ephemeral
(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived
ethereal
(adj.) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound)
flaccid
(adj.) limp, not firm; lacking vigor or effectiveness
gregarious
(adj.) living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others
hapless
(adj.) marked by a persistent absence of good luck
depraved
(adj.) marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles
obsequious
(adj.) marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons
illusory
(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality
innate
(adj.) natural, inborn, inherent; built-in
myopic
(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment
indigent
(adj.) needy, impoverished
defunct
(adj.) no longer in existence or functioning, dead
imperturbable
(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady
incongruous
(adj.) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible
visionary
(adj.) not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; (n.) one given to far fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight
unremitting
(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless
improvident
(adj.) not thrifty; failing to plan ahead
unwonted
(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character
incumbent
(adj.) obligatory, required; (n.) one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of
sporadic
(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order
saturnine
(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
picayune
(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded
invidious
(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment
moot
(adj.) open to discussion and debate, unresolved; (v.) to bring up for discussion; (n.) a hypothetical law case argued by students
mutable
(adj.) open to or capable of change, fickle
overt
(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized
ebullient
(adj.) overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement; boiling, bubbling
histrionic
(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic
aesthetic
(adj.) pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty
sylvan
(adj.) pertaining to or characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody
omnipresent
(adj.) present in all places at all times
ubiquitous
(adj.) present or existing everywhere
substantive
(adj.) real, having a solid basis; considerable in number or amount; meaningful and on topic
intransigent
(adj.) refusing to compromise, irreconcilable
penitent
(adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes. (n.) one who is sorry for wrongdoing
contrite
(adj.) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent
germane
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting
restive
(adj.) restless, hard to manage, balky
ghoulish
(adj.) revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead
ludicrous
(adj.) ridiculous, laughable, absurd
inviolable
(adj.) sacred; of such a character that it must not be broken, injured, or profaned
refulgent
(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent
inane
(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value
insatiable
(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied
piquant
(adj.) stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative
intermitten
(adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic
devious
(adj.) straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way
fatuous
(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied 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
arrant
(adj.) thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
paltry
(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
loath
(adj.) unwilling, reluctant, disinclined
distraught
(adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict
pertinacious
(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied
decorous
(adj.) well behaved, dignified, socially proper
nefarious
(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards
wizened
(adj., part.) dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging)
desiccated
(adj., part.) thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting
askance
(adv.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval
summarily
(adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely
propriety
(n) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable
rudiments
(n. pl.) the parts of any subject or discipline that are learned first; the earliest stages of anything
tyro
(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
diatribe
(n.) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack
coterie
(n.) a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
animadversion
(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval
machination
(n.) a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end
behemoth
(n.) a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance
effigy
(n.) a crude image of a despised person
dilettante
(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial
obeisance
(n.) a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; deference, homage
pillory
(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule; (v.) to expose to public contempt or ridicule
dissidence
(n.) a difference of opinion; discontent
figment
(n.) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion
canard
(n.) a false rumor, fabricated story
encomium
(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute
eulogy
(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise
bastion
(n.) a fortified place, stronghold
travesty
(n.) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the opposite sex; (v.) to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion
coup
(n.) a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, tour de force, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership
halcyon
(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent
juggernaut
(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path
euphemism
(n.) a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute
neophyte
(n.) a new convert, beginner, novice
idiosyncrasy
(n.) a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify
counterpart
(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement
misanthrope
(n.) a person who hates or despises people
litany
(n.) a prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
pedantry
(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
nettle
(n.) a prickly or stinging plant; (v.) to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely
motif
(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design
stratagem
(n.) a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end
acclamation
(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval
shambles
(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess
cabal
(n.) a small group working in secret
concord
(n.) a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant
penchant
(n.) a strong attraction or inclination
nuance
(n.) a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality), delicate gradation or shade of difference
paroxysm
(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
reconnaissance
(n.) a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination
moratorium
(n.) a suspension of activity; an official waiting period; an authorized period of delay
grouse
(n.) a type of game bird; a complaint; (v.) to complain, grumble
surveillance
(n.) a watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation
foible
(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw
maelstrom
(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction
pittance
(n.) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion
shibboleth
(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism
nostrum
(n.) an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness
fiat
(n.) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness
mandate
(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order
increment
(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition
paucity
(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
fetish
(n.) an object believed to have magical powers; an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence
talisman
(n.) an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish
affront
(n.) an open or intentional insult; a slight; (v.) to insult to one's face; to face in defiance , confront
aperture
(n.) an opening, gap, hole; orifice
credence
(n.) belief, mental acceptance
raiment
(n.) clothing, garments
progeny
(n.) descendants, offspring, children, followers, disciples
opprobrium
(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach
disarray
(n.) disorder, confusion; (v.) to throw into disorder
flotsam
(n.) floating debris; homeless, impoverished people
panegyric
(n.) formal or elaborate praise; a tribute
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
complicity
(n.) involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice
perspicacity
(n.) keenness in observing and understanding
verbiage
(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression
badinage
(n.) light and playful conversation
detritus
(n.) loose bits and pieces of material resulting from disintegration or wearing away; fragments that result from any destruction
propinquity
(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship
echelon
(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
agnostic
(n.) one who believes that nothing can be known about God; a skeptic; (adj.) without faith, skeptical
necromancer
(n.) one who claims to reveal or influence the future through magic, especially communication with the dead; in general, a magician or wizard
charlatan
(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, impostor, or quack
pariah
(n.) one who is rejected by a social group or organization
sophistry
(n.) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy
asperity
(n.) roughness, severity; bitterness or tartness
collusion
(n.) secret agreement or cooperation
ignominy
(n.) shame and disgrace
effrontery
(n.) shameless boldness, impudence
acuity
(n.) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)
derelict
(n.) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of duty
celerity
(n.) swiftness, rapidity of motion or action
amenity
(n.) that which is pleasant or agreeable; (pl.) attractive features, customs, etc
indictment
(n.) the act of accusing; a formal accusation
peregrination
(n.) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country
cynosure
(n.) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct
facade
(n.) the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind)
nadir
(n.) the lowest point
efficacy
(n.) the power to produce a desired result
equity
(n.) the state or quality of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is fair; the money value of a property above and beyond any mortgage or other claim
atrophy
(n.) the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; (v.) to waste away
rectitude
(n.) uprightness, righteousness; correctness
iniquity
(n.) wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act
blandishment
(n., often pl.) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk, apple-polishing
exigency
(n., often pl.) urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency
minutiae
(pl. n.) small or trivial details, trifling matters
arrogate
(v.) To claim or take without right
garner
(v.) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use
accost
(v.) to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way
allege
(v.) to assert without proof or confirmation
eschew
(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from
languish
(v.) to become weak, feeble, or dull; to droop; to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect
engender
(v.) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form
allay
(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve
countermand
(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
slough
(v.) to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
jettison
(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
congeal
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid
decry
(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate
embellish
(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
gainsay
(v.) to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose
dissemble
(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression
evince
(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke
forgo
(v.) to do without, abstain from, give up
reconnoiter
(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection
substantiate
(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to
deprecate
(v.) to express mild disapproval; to belittle
cavil
(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; (n.) a trivial objection or criticism
presage
(v.) to foreshadow or point to a future event; to predict; (n.) a warning or indication of the future
discomfit
(v.) to frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass
glean
(v.) to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers
winnow
(v.) to get rid of something unwanted, delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; to remove the chaff from the wheat by blowing air on it; to blow on, fan
consign
(v.) to give over to another's care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use
subsist
(v.) to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue
mesmerize
(v.) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch
emulate
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
incarcerate
(v.) to imprison, confine, jail
portend
(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
interpolate
(v.) to insert between other parts or things; to present as an addition or correction
decimate
(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of
exacerbate
(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
burnish
(v.) to make smooth or glossy by rubbing, polish; (n.) gloss, brightness, luster
requite
(v.) to make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate
attenuate
(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value
undulate
(v.) to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form
demur
(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection
conciliate
(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent
delineate
(v.) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
promulgate
(v.) to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide
exhume
(v.) to remove from a grave; to bring to light
abrogate
(v.) to repeal, cancel, declare null and void
cavort
(v.) to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry
hallow
(v.) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere
sequester
(v.) to set apart, separate for a special purpose; to take possession of and hold in custody
calumniate
(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously
rebuff
(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; (n.) a curt rejection, a check
saturate
(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully
temporize
(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise
oscillate
(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver
vacillate
(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will
espouse
(v.) to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry
raze
(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
deign
(v.) to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something; to condescend
inure
(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure
importune
(v.) to trouble with demands; to beg for insistently
enervate
(v.) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring
recant
(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract
belabor
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly
chicanery
trickery, deceptive practices or tactics, double-dealing