Sadlier-Oxford Level H Unit 1-3
forte
(n.) a person's strong point; what a person does best
liturgy
(n.) a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship
icon
(n.) a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion
vignette
(n.) a short description or sketch; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter
interstice
(n.) a small, narrow space between things or parts of things
Solecism
(n.) a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake
mountebank
(n.) a trickster or swindler; a charlatan
fait accompli
(n.) an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action
enclave
(n.) an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character
hierarchy
(n.) any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.
raillery
(n.) good-humored ridicule; teasing
rapacity
(n.) inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one's desires by force, extortion, or plunder
persiflage
(n.) lighthearted joking, talk, or writing
plethora
(n.) overfullness; superabundance; superfluity
Aegis
(n.) protection; patronage; sponsorship
mirage
(n.) something illusory, without substance, or without a basis in reality; an illusion
Purview
(n.) the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute
condescend
(v.) to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner
Obfuscate
(v.) to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder
caterwaul
(v.) to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; (n.) a harsh or noisy cry; a racket
Apprise
(v.) to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice
Deracinate
(v.) to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of
bowdlerize
(v.) to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc.)
chimerical
(adj.) absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible
Eleemosynary
(adj.) charitable; dependent upon or supported by charity; derived from or provided by charity
pragmatic
(adj.) concerned with practical considerations or values; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one's opinions
Bibulous
(adj.) fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent
oblivious
(adj.) forgetful; unaware
gratis
(adj.) free; (adv.) without charge
Lachrymose
(adj.) given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious
Sanguine
(adj.) having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook
therapeutic
(adj.) having the power to heal or cure; beneficial
ribald
(adj.) irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language
effete
(adj.) lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out of date
supine
(adj.) lying flat on one's back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive
hidebound
(adj.) narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative
noisome
(adj.) offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious
Indigenous
(adj.) originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent
ancillary
(adj.) subordinate or supplementary
Minuscule
(adj.) very small, tiny; (n.) a lowercase letter
poltroon
(n.) a base coward
virtuoso
(n.) a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; (adj.) masterly or brilliant
quizzical
(adj.) puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal
quasi
(adj.) resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely
Melee
(n.) a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling.
proselyte
(n.) a convert; a disciple
Lexicon
(n.) a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium
schism
(n.) a formal split with a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions
Claque
(n.) a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
microcosm
(n.) a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system.
morass
(n.) a patch of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand
Vassal
(n.) a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant; (adj.) subservient
paean
(n.) a song of praise, a joy, or triumph
adjunct
(n.) something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic. (adj.) added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity
bellwether
(n.) the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends.
Paternalism
(n.) the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children
Verisimilitude
(n.) the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable
macrocosm
(n.) the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something
Polarize
(v.) to cause or concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern.
cozen
(v.) to trick; to cheat or swindle