LA, Vocab #5

Astute

Shrewd, perceptive

A flash in the pan

A disappointment

Amicable

Friendly

Acrimonious

Bitter, caustic, biting

Affluent

Wealthy

aspirant

one who strives for a position

accost

to approach adn speak to

adverse

unfavorable, harmful

asset

something of value

advocate

one who speaks or write for a cause

blatant

harsh, shrill

bigots

narrow minded

consternation

concern, dread, dismay

chagrin

embarrassment

confidant

one in whom you confide

caustic

biting, stinging, burning

castigate

reproof, criticize, punish

clandestine

secret

cognizant

aware

doleful

sad, melancholy

dupe

to fool

distraught

crazed, absent minded, worried

discern

to be aware

entourage

group of attendants, fans

euphemism

less offensive term

elusive

hard to grasp

ethics

codes of behavior

eschew

avoid

eminent

outstanding, prominent

exacerbate

make worse

extortion

to get money by threat

eat humble pie

to ask for forgiveness

engrossed

absorbed, occupied completely

excruciating

intense pain, agonizing

furtive

secret

feasible

possible, plausible

flout

scoff, mock, jeer, show contempt

fiasco

a complete failure

flagrant

obvious, conspicuous, offensive

fretful

worrisome

histrionics

to pull a fit to gain an advantage

hapless

unlucky

harass

to bother, annoy

harbinger

the first of its kind

implacable

cannot be pacified

interject

to throw in between

intrepid

brave

inert

without the power to move

imminent

about to happen, threatening

infamous

famous for the wrong reasons

inclement

stormy, harsh

implore

beg

impresario

organizer of a series of events

jurisdiction

arena of authority

loathe

reluctant

monolithic

huge, massive

masticate

chew

malignant

deadly,likely to cause death

naive

simple, childlike

nefarious

evil

nuance

a subtle distinction

obsess

to haunt or preoccupy

oust

to throw out

obsolescence

outdated, old fashioned

privation

lack of necessities

precocious

unusually mature at an early age

pertinent

to the point

plethora

plenty

perfunctory

brief, quick, careless, superficial

pugnacious

belligerent, wanting to fight

pernicious

highly injurious or destructive

perverse

to persist in error

quell

stop

reprehensible

worthy of blame

rule the roost

be in charge

replete

filled with

recoil

draw back

revert

to turn back

reticent

silent, quiet

symptomatic

having to do with signs or symptoms

sinister

evil

squeamish

easily shocked

salient

important, outstanding

solicit

ask, seek, plead

surge

push forward

scurrilous

coarse, vulgar language

solace

comfort, aid, sympathy

steeped

soaked, saturated, engrossed

tranquil

peaceful

thwart

hinder, defeat

thumbs down

a signal of rejection

tinge

trace, small amount

ubiquitous

everywhere at the same time

virulent

poisonous, full of hate

voluble

talkative

wan

sickly, pale, languid