vocabulary workshop level h unit 1-9

ineffable

(adj) not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered

insouciant

(adj.) blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky

lachrymose

(adj.) causing to shed tears; mournful

eleemosynary

(adj.) charitable; dependent on charity

cognate

(adj.) closely related in origin, essential nature, or function; (n.) such a person or thing

pragmatic

(adj.) concerned with practical considerations or values

commensurate

(adj.) equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards

bibulous

(adj.) fond of drinking

gratis

(adj.) free

sanguine

(adj.) having a naturally cheerful, optimistic outlook

prurient

(adj.) having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires

therapeutic

(adj.) having the power to heal or cure

tendentious

(adj.) intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan

quizzical

(adj.) odd

systemic

(adj.) of or pertaining to the entire body; relating to a system or systems

indigenous

(adj.) originating in one nation; native

bilious

(adj.) peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant

risible

(adj.) pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh; laughable

mnemonic

(adj.) relating to or designed to assist the memory; (n.) a device to aid the memory

ancillary

(adj.) subordinate or supplementary

symptomatic

(adj.) typical or characteristic; being or concerned with a symptom of a disease

sacrosanct

(adj.) very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack

diaphanous

(adj.) very sheer and light; almost completely transparent

minuscule

(adj.) very small; tiny (n.) a lowercase letter

philippic

(n.) a bitter verbal attack

cul-de-sac

(n.) a blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse

vicissitude

(n.) a change, variation, or alteration; (pl.) successive or changing phases or conditions

persona

(n.) a character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes

panache

(n.) a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display

melee

(n.) a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all

lexicon

(n.) a dictionary or language; special vocabulary to a person

claque

(n.) a group of people hired to applaud a preformer; enthusiastic admirers, an opera hat

pundit

(n.) a learned person; one who gives authoritative opinions

microcosm

(n.) a miniature world or universe; a group viewed as a model for a larger group

matrix

(n.) a mold; the surrounding situation or environment

affinity

(n.) a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection

virtuoso

(n.) a person with masterly skill or technique

forte

(n.) a person's strong point

elixir

(n.) a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea; a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines

corollary

(n.) a proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence or result; (adj.) resultant or consequent

foray

(n.) a quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor; (v.) to make such a raid

homily

(n.) a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse

interstice

(n.) a small, narrow space between things or parts of things

paean

(n.) a song of praise, joy, or triumph

icon

(n.) a symbol

mountebank

(n.) a trickster or swindler

genre

(n.) a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted

volte-face

(n.) an about-face; a complete reversal

enclave

(n.) an enclose district, region or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character

aficionado

(n.) an enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan

gamut

(n.) an entire range or series

schism

(n.) any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile faction

solecism

(n.) blunder in grammer; misuse of words

folderol

(n.) foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle

obsequies

(n.) funeral rites or ceremonies

rapacity

(n.) inordinate greed

lucubration

(n.) laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work

persiflage

(n.) lighthearted joking, talk or writing

vassal

(n.) person under the protection of a feudal lord; a servant

emolument

(n.) profit derived from an office or position or from employment; a fee or salary

aegis

(n.) protection, patronage

obloquy

(n.) public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment

plethora

(n.) superfluity

divination

(n.) the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge

hoi polloi

(n.) the common people, the masses

macrocosm

(n.) the entire complex structure of something

paternalism

(n.) the policy of treating government or its people in the manner of a father to his children

verisimilitude

(n.) the quality of appearing to be true

purview

(n.) the range or scope of something; in law, the extent of what is provided in a statute

derring-do

(n.) valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics)

polarize

(v.) to cause concentration around two opposing positions; to split, divide

obfuscate

(v.) to darken, obscure, or confuse

condescend

(v.) to deal with people in a patronizing manner

immure

(v.) to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate

apprise

(v.) to inform, make aware by verbal notice

browbeat

(v.) to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully

deracinate

(v.) to pull up by the roots; uproot; remove all traces of

bowdlerize

(v.) to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc.)

cozen

(v.) to trick; to cheat or swindle

poltroon

a base coward

proselyte

a convert; a disciple

morass

a patch of low, soft, wet ground;a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand

liturgy

a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship

vignette

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

chimerical

absurd;wildly fantastic;impossible

fait accompli

an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action

hierarchy

any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.

oblivious

forgetful; unaware

raillery

good-humored ridicule; teasing

ribald

irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language

effete

lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce, out-of-date

supine

lying flat on one's back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive

parameter

n. a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the final outcome; a limit; a boundary

hidebound

narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative

noisome

offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious

quasi

resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely

adjunct

something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic;added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in auxiliary capacity

mirage

something illusory, without substance, or without a basis in reality; an illusion

bellwether

the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking;an indicator of trends

caterwaul

to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; a harsh or noisy cry; a racket