Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 9-15

impromptu

adjective & adverb, without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done; noun, an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation

scintillating

adjective & participial, sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant

nonplussed

adjective & participle, puzzled, not knowing what to do, at a loss

prolific

adjective, abundantly productive; abundant, profuse

ostensible

adjective, apparent, appearing to be true or actual; capable of being shown or exhibited

winsome

adjective, charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting innocence)

extraneous

adjective, coming from the outside, foreign; present but not essential, irrelevant

definitive

adjective, conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done

disconsolate

adjective, deeply unhappy or dejected without hope, beyond consolation

sadistic

adjective, delighting in cruelty, excessively cruel

prosaic

adjective, dull, ordinary, lacking in distinction and originality; characteristic of prose, not poetic

choleric

adjective, easily made angry, bad-tempered

mawkish

adjective, excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor

redundant

adjective, extra, excess, more than is needed ; wordy, repetitive, profuse, lush

adamant

adjective, firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding; noun, an extremely hard substance

grisly

adjective, frightful, horrible, ghastly

profligate

adjective, given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; noun, a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending

providential

adjective, happening as though through divine intervention; characterized by good fortune

deleterious

adjective, harmful, injurious

implicit

adjective, implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in

jejune

adjective, lacking in nutritive value; lacking in interest or substance; immature, juvenile

sanctimonious

adjective, making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious

ostentatious

adjective, marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy

requisite

adjective, needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable

blatant

adjective, noise in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense

sartorial

adjective, of or pertaining to a tailor or his work, having to do with clothes or dress

politic

adjective, prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient

enigmatic

adjective, puzzling, perplexing, not easily understood, mysterious

herculean

adjective, relating to Hercules; characterized by great strength;

sententious

adjective, self righteous, characterized by moralizing; given to use of maxims or adages; saying much in few words, pithy

incisive

adjective, sharp, keen, penetrating

impassive

adjective, showing no feeling or emotion

precocious

adjective, showing unusually early development

contiguous

adjective, side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time

obdurate

adjective, stubborn, unyielding

opportune

adjective, suitable or convenient for a particular purpose; occurring at an appropriate time

preeminent

adjective, superior, outstanding; prominent

turgid

adjective, swollen, bloated, filled to excess; over decorated or excessive in language

credulous

adjective, too ready to believe, easily deceived

inauspicious

adjective, unfavorable, unlucky, suggesting bad luck for the future

incontrovertible

adjective, unquestionable, beyond dispute

amenable

adjective, willing to follow advice or authority, tractable, submissive; responsive, amendable to; liable, to be held responsible for

tortuous

adjective, winding, twisted, crooked; highly involved, complex, devious

satiate

verb, to satisfy completely, to fill to excess; adj, full, satisfied

disseminate

verb, to scatter widely

berate

verb, to scold sharply

remit

verb, to send or hand in, to cancel, forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer

mollify

verb, to soften, make gentle, to calm, allay; to reduce in intensity

cloy

verb, to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence especially in sweet or rich things; to glut, satiate

buttress

verb, to support, prop up, strengthen; noun, a supporting structure

deplete

verb, to use up as a result of spending or consumption; to diminish greatly

encumber

verb, to weigh down or burden; to fill up, block, hinder

palpable

adj, capable of being touched or felt; easily seen, heard, or recognized

specious

adj, deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit

censurable

adj, deserving of blame or correction

perceptive

adj, having sympathetic insight or understanding, capable of keen appreciation

florid

adj, highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, overdecorated, showy

contingent

adj, likely but not certain to happen, possible, happening by chance; Noun, a representative group forming part of a larger body

abstemious

adj, moderate, sparing; characterized by abstinence and self-discipline

discursive

adj, passing aimlessly from one place or subject to another, rambling, roving, nomadic

dowdy

adj, poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness

potpourri

noun, a collection of diverse or miscellaneous items, a general mixture; petals mixed with spices for scent

brouhaha

noun, a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified

clangor

noun, a loud ringing noise; verb, to make a loud ringing noise

paragon

noun, a model of excellence or perfection

rejoinder

noun, a reply to a reply, especially from the defendant in a legal suit

caricature

noun, a representation in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; verb, to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way

criterion

noun, a rule, test; a standard for judgment or evaluation

bulwark

noun, a strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense; verb, to provide such defense or protection; verb, to provide such a defense or protection

presentiment

noun, a vague sense of approaching misfortune

infirmity

noun, a weakness or ailment

cupidity

noun, an eager desire for something; greed

surfeit

noun, an excess or overindulgence, as in eating or drinking; causing disgust; verb, to feed or supply with anything to excess

connoisseur

noun, an expert; one who is well qualified to pass critical judgments, especially in one of the fine arts

denizen

noun, an inhabitant, resident; one who frequents a place

deference

noun, courteous, yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by submission, as to a superior

carnage

noun, large scale slaughter or loss of life

carousal

noun, noisy revelry or merry making (often with a suggestion of heavy drinking)

onus

noun, something that is heavy or burdensome; a stigma; blame

inception

noun, the beginning, start, earliest stage of some process, institution, etc.

demeanor

noun, the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial appearance, mien

forbearance

noun, tolerance and self-control, patience; the act of refraining from something, abstinence

aver

verb, to affirm, declare confidently

supplicate

verb, to beg earnestly and humbly

broach

verb, to break the surface of the water, to turn sideways to the wind and waves; to bring up or begin to talk about; to announce; to pierce in order to draw off liquid; noun, a spit for roasting

absolve

verb, to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt

collate

verb, to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities, etc.; to arrange in order for some specific purpose

corroborate

verb, to confirm, make more certain

curtail

verb, to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce

accentuate

verb, to emphasize, place stress upon

abet

verb, to encourage, assist (especially in something wrong)

enthrall

verb, to enslave; to imprison; to captivate, charm, hold spellbound

expatiate

verb, to expand on, write or talk at length or in detail; to move about freely

foist

verb, to impose by fraud; to pass off as worthy or genuine; to bring in by stealth, dishonesty, or coercion

extenuate

verb, to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of offense by making partial excuses

sear

verb, to make or become dry or withered; to char or scorch the surface of; to harden or make unfeeling

thwart

verb, to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate

foment

verb, to promote trouble or rebellion; to apply warm liquids to, warm

enhance

verb, to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of

paraphrase

verb, to restate in other words; noun, a statement that presents a given idea in new language