Vocabulary Workshop Level G Units 1-9

abject

(adj.) degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved

agnostic

(n.)one who believes that nothnig can be known about god; a skeptic

complicity

(n.) involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice

derelict

(n.) someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of duty

diatribe

(n.) a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

effigy

(n.) a crude image of a despised person

equity

(n.) the state or quality of being just or fair

inane

(adj.) silly, empty of meaning or value

indictment

(n.) the act of accusing, a formal accusation

indubitable

(adj.) certain, not to be doubted or denied

intermittent

(adj.) stopping and beginning again, sporadic

moot

(adj.) debatable, questionable

motif

(n.) a principal idea, theme or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

neophyte

(n.) beginner, novice

perspicacity

(n.) keenness in observing and understanding

plenary

(adj.) complete in all aspects; absolute

surveillance

(n.) careful, close, and disciplined observation

sylvan

(adj.) pertaining to or characteristic of forests

testy

(adj.) easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation

travesty

(n.) a grotesque or grossly inferior imitation

allay

(v.) to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve

bestial

(adj.) beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

convivial

(adj.) festive, sociable, having fun together, genial

coterie

(n.) a circle of aquaitances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

counterpart

(n.) a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement

demur

(v.) to object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

effrontery

(n.) shameless boldness, impudence

embellish

(v.) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting only a short time, short-lived

felicitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

furtive

(adj.) done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen

garish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way

illusory

(adj.) misleading, decemptive; lacking in or not based on reality

indigent

(adj.) needy, impoverished

inordinate

(adj.) far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

jettison

(v.) to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

misanthrope

(n.) a person who hates or despises people

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

picayune

(adj.) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

raiment

(n.) clothing, garments

allege

(v.) to assert without proof or confirmation

arrant

(adj.) out-and-out, shameless, blatant

badinage

(n.) light and playful conversation

concilliate

(v.) to overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

countermand

(v.) to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first

echelon

(n.) one of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

exacerbate

(v.) to make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

fatuous

(adj.) stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

irrefutable

(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond arguement

juggernaut

(n.) a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path

lackadaisical

(adj.) lacking spirit or interest; halfhearted

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

macabre

(adj.) grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject

paucity

(n.) an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth

portend

(v.) to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of

raze

(v.) to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out

recant

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract

saturate

(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully

saturnine

(adj.) of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

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

acclamation

(n.) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval

bucolic

(adj.) characteristic of the countryside. rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds, pastoral

calumniate

(v.) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously

chary

(adj.) extremely cautious, hesitant or slow; reserved

collusion

(n.) secret agreement or cooperation

dilettante

(n.) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an ameteurish, trifling way; (adj.) superficial

imperturbable

(adj.) not easily excited; emotionally steady

increment

(n.) an enlargement, increase, addition

mandate

(n.) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v.) to issue such an order

paltry

(adj.) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy

paroxysm

(n.) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion

pedantry

(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details

peregrination

(n.) the act or traveling ; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign country

redolent

(adj.) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura

refulgent

(adj.) shining, radiant, resplendent

shibboleth

(n.) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all others, a commonplace saying or truism

tyro

(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill

unremitting

(adj.) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless

vacillate

(v.) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or will

vituperative

(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding

acquisitive

adj, able to get and retain ideas or information; conserned with acquiring wealth or property

arrogate

verb, to claim or take without right

banal

adj, hackneyed, trite, commonplace

belabor

verb, to work on excessively; to thrash around

carping

adj, tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; noun, petty, nagging criticism

coherent

adj, holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

congeal

verb, to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

emulate

verb, to immitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

encomium

verb, a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

eschew

verb, to avoid, shun, keep away from

germane

adj, relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

insatiable

adj, so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

intransigent

adj, refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

invidious

adj, offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

largesse

noun, generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful countributions

reconnaissance

noun, a survery made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

substantiate

verb, to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substancial form to

taciturn

adj, habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

temporize

verb, to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpoe a decision; to compromise

tenable

adj, capable of being held or defended

acuity

noun, sharpness, particularly of mind or senses

delineate

verb, to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially

depraved

adjective, marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles

enervate

verb, to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

esoteric

adjective, intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

fecund

adjective, fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

fiat

noun, an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness

figment

noun, a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

garner

verb, to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use

hallow

verb, to set apart as holy or scared, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere

idiosyncrasy

noun, a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

ignominy

noun, shame and disgrace

mundane

noun,earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary

nuance

noun, a subtle or slight variation, as in color, meaning, quality; delicate gradation or shade or difference

overweening

adjective, conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate

penchant

noun, a strong attraction or inclination

reputed

adjective, according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation; (part.) alleged

sophistry

noun, reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy

sumptuous

adjective, costly, rich, magnificent

ubiquitous

adjective, present or existing everywhere

articulate

verb, to pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; to connect by a joint or joints; adjective, expressed clearly and forcefully; able to employ language clearly and forcefully; jointed

cavort

verb, to romp or prance around exuberantly; to make merry

credence

noun, belief, mental acceptance

decry

verb, to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

dissemble

verb, to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression

distraught

adjective, very much agaitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

eulogy

noun, a formal statement of commendation; high praise

evince

verb, to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke

exhume

verb, to remove from a grave; to bring to light

feckless

adjective, lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

murky

adjective, dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision

nefarious

adjective, wicked, depreaved, deoid of moral standards

piquant

adjective, stimulating to the tase or mind; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative

primordial

adjective, developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

propinquity

noun, nearness in place or time; kinship

unwonted

adjective, not usual or expected; not in character

Utopian

adjective, founded upon or involving a visionarry view of an ideal world; impractical

verbiage

noun, language thaqt is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression

verdant

adjective, green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgement

viscous

adjective, having a gelatinour or gluey quality, lacking in easy movement or fluidity

atrophy

the wasting away of a body organ or tissue; any progressive decline or failure; verb, to waste away

concord

noun, a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, covenant

consummate

adjective, complete or perfect in the highest degree; verb, to bring to a state of completion or perfection

disarray

noun, disorder, confusion ; verb, to throw into disorder

exigency

noun, urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressuring need; an emergency

flotsam

noun, floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

frenetic

adjective, frenzied, highly agitated

glean

verb, to gather bit by bit; to gather small quantities of grain left in a field by the reapers

grouse

noun, a type of game bird; a complaint; verb, to complain, grumble

incarcerate

verb, to imprison, confine, jail

incumbent

adjective, obligatory, required; noun, one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

jocular

adjective, humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

ludicrous

adjective, ridiculous, laughable, absurd

mordant

adjective, biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

nettle

noun, a prickly or stinging plant; verb, to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger; to vex or irritate severely

pecuniary

adjective, consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

pusillanimous

adjective, contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

recumbent

adjective, in a reclining position, lying down, in the posture of one sleeping or resting

stratagem

noun, a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

accost

verb, to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

animadversion

noun, a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

avid

adjective, desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

brackish

adjective, having a salty taste and unpleasent to drink

celerity

noun, swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

devious

adjective, straying or wandering from a straight or direct course, done or acted in a shifty or underhanded way

gambit

noun, 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

halcyon

noun, a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; adjective, of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent

histrionic

adjective, pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

incendiary

adjective, deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; noun, the one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

maelstrom

noun, a whirlpool of great size and violance; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

myopic

adjective, nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

overt

adjective, open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

pejorative

adjective, tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

propriety

noun, the state ofm being proper, appropriateness

sacrilege

noun, improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

summarily

adverb, without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

supplicant

adjective, asking humbly and earnestly; noun, one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor

talisman

noun, an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers, an amulet, fetish

undulate

verb, to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

bastion

noun, a fortified place, stronghold