SAT Vocab Week Four
About this set
Created by:
nikitagourishetty on July 14, 2012
Description:
Elite
A 376-500
B 376-500
Order by
250 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 precipice | a cliff; the edge of a dangerous situation |
| garnish | to decorate; adorn |
| insight | the power to sense or understand something |
| offhand | without preparation or forethought |
| nebulous | unclear; vague |
| negligible | of little value or importance |
| liaison | a communication between different groups; the person in charge of a communication |
| inveigle | to obtain by flattery |
| capitulate | to surrender under specific conditions; to give up all resistance |
| fete | lavish entertainment; a festival |
| jaundice | prejudice; bias; a yellow discoloration of the skin |
| bacchanalian | characterized by riotous, drunken partying |
| nettle | to bother; to irritate |
| cite | to refer to or quote |
| chastise | to punish by beating; to scold or condemn sharply |
| maxim | a short saying expressing a general principle |
| deploy | to station or assemble troops or forces in position |
| perceptive | capable of quickly understanding |
| reprieve | to postpone or cancel punishment |
| nativity | birth, especially with reference to place, time, etc. |
| grandiose | impressive, imposing; showy |
| bewitch | to put a spell on; to charm |
| profligate | immorally wasteful |
| knack | a specific talent for doing something, especially one that is difficult to teach |
| myriad | an indefinitely large number |
| baroque | fantastically over-decorated; gaudily ornate |
| impel | to push something into motion |
| relegate | to assign to an obscure place or condition; to send away |
| debris | bits and pieces of rubbish |
| colloquy | conversation, especially a formal one |
| diminution | a decrease or diminishing |
| abstemious | moderate, especially in eating and drinking |
| apathy | a lack of emotion; lack of concern, especially to matters of general importance |
| brusque | abrupt and curt of manner |
| egalitarian | of the belief that all people should have equal rights |
| coiffure | a hairstyle |
| avarice | excessive desire for wealth |
| earnest | showing deep sincerity; serious |
| fortify | to make stronger |
| commend | to express approval of |
| contrive | to bring about artificially |
| deficient | lacking an essential quality; inadequate in amount or degree |
| excise | to remove by or as if by cutting |
| banter | good-humored teasing |
| cataclysm | a disastrous event, usually one that brings about great change |
| prevail | to triumph over; to be or become most common |
| subjective | based on personal experience or feeling, not on external evidence |
| become | to be appropriate or suitable to; to look good with |
| arrogate | to claim for one's self unjustly |
| foster | to bring up or nurture |
| fluctuate | to move back and forth or up and down, esp. unpredictably |
| empirical | based on experience rather than a theory |
| disconcert | to make confused or uneasy |
| levity | lack of seriousness, esp. when improper |
| belittle | to put down; to speak of contemptuously |
| efface | to rub out, as from a surface; to erase |
| gambol | to leap about playfully; to frolic |
| suave | effortlessly smooth and courteous in social situations |
| hallowed | made or set apart as holy |
| pejorative | downgrading, demeaning |
| undaunted | not faltering or hesitating because of fear or discouragement |
| recapitulate | to summarize; to paraphrase |
| effect | to bring about |
| ample | enough, or more than enough; plentiful |
| laconic | brief in speech; using few words |
| chasten | to correct by punishment or criticism; to restrain |
| converse | to engage in spoken exchange of ideas |
| impede | to obstruct |
| ostensible | outwardly appearing as such |
| nostalgia | a general longing for the past or to return home |
| loquacious | very talkative |
| kindred | related or similar in origin or nature |
| tenable | able to be maintained or defended, either in an argument or debate or against an attack |
| pedestrian | done on foot; ordinary; commonplace |
| pecuniary | of or involving money |
| preponderance | superiority in weight, force, importance or influence |
| pedagogy | the art or profession of teaching |
| intuition | instinctive knowledge, acquired without conscious reason |
| brandish | to shake or weave, as of a weapon; to show threateningly |
| contiguous | sharing a common boundary; adjoining |
| altruistic | unselfish; benevolent; caring more for others than oneself |
| complacent | too pleased with oneself; self-satisfied |
| endow | to provide with material goods, talents, or qualities |
| lambaste | to scold or criticize severely; to beat or whip severely |
| disposition | personality; temperament |
| attrition | gradual reduction |
| imminent | impending; threatening; likely to happen |
| stifle | to suffocate or smother |
| avid | having a passionate desire |
| adjunct | something attached to another in a subordinate position |
| abhor | to detest; to shrink from in disgust |
| flummox | to confuse or perplex |
| smirk | to smile in a self-satisfied or artificial way |
| feral | existing in a wild or untamed state |
| captious | critically faultfinding |
| emanate | to send forth; to come forth |
| increment | an increase in quantity; to increase |
| encompass | to surround; to include |
| deprecate | to express disapproval of |
| obdurate | not easily moved to pity or sympathy |
| assuage | to lessen pain or distress |
| adjacent | adjoining; next to |
| gala | characterized by festivity; a festive occasion, esp. a lavish social event |
| mediate | to resolve (arguments or disputes) by working with the conflicting parties |
| empathy | ability to understand and identify with another's feelings and emotions |
| skeptical | tending to question or doubt |
| veneer | an attractive, ultimately misleading outward show; thin layer |
| illuminate | to light up |
| fluent | easy; graceful |
| cascade | a waterfall or series of small waterfalls; a succession of stages, processes, or units |
| curb | to restrain or control |
| civic | pertaining to a city or citizen |
| binge | a period of uncontrolled self-indulgence |
| pittance | a small amount, esp. of money |
| dilemma | a situation in which one must choose between two equally bad alternatives |
| lair | the dwelling of a wild animal |
| qualify | to modify, limit, or restrict, as by giving exceptions |
| determinate | having exact limits; final; firm in purpose |
| anecdote | a brief story, often humorous |
| paramount | supreme; ranking higher than others in power or importance |
| voluntary | willing; unforced |
| refuge | a shelter or sanctuary |
| balmy | soothing, mild, pleasant |
| counterintuitive | contrary to intuition or common sense |
| replicate | to copy, reproduce, or repeat |
| rapport | concord; trustful relationship; harmony |
| nominal | appearing in name only; negligible or of low amount |
| dissuade | to discourage from a course of action |
| effervescent | giving off gas bubbles; showing high spirits or excitement |
| defile | to corrupt; to desecrate or sully |
| bulwark | a wall or embankment used for a defensive fortification; something serving as a defense or safeguard, often figurative |
| proclivity | a natural or habitual tendency or inclination |
| awry | away from the correct course; wrong; deviant |
| apt | appropriate; having a natural tendency |
| canny | clever and cautious |
| soliloquy | a dramatic speech delivered by a character to himself |
| scapegoat | one who takes blame |
| caveat | a warning |
| haunt | to visit often or continually |
| lament | to grieve; to regret deeply; a mournful song |
| prattle | to talk idly or babble; inconsequential talk |
| inclined | disposed; willing |
| panoply | a splendid array; ceremonial dress with all accessories |
| omnivorous | able to eat any kind of food |
| conundrum | a riddle or puzzle, esp. one without a solution |
| ruthless | having no compassion or pity |
| interstices | small spaces between things |
| prophecy | a prediction |
| insinuate | to hint |
| credence | belief; mental acceptance as true or real |
| consternation | a sudden feeling of anxiety, shock, or confusion |
| clarify | to make clear or easier to understand |
| envelop | to enclose or surround |
| dispense | to administer; to distribute; (with preparation 'with') to do without |
| discrepancy | lack of agreement; difference |
| precipitous | resembling a cliff; extremely steep |
| concerted | planned or accomplished together |
| scion | an heir; a descendant |
| harangue | a long pompous speech; a speech or piece of writing expressing strong emotion; a tirade |
| loath | unwilling, reluctant |
| rebut | to refute, especially by offering opposing arguments or evidence |
| buffet | to knock about; to push or force roughly |
| encore | again, once more; a second performance; an audience's call for a second performance |
| mandate | a command; an order |
| frolic | to behave playfully and without inhibition |
| overt | open; not hidden |
| feign | to pretend; to fake |
| verve | energy in movement; exuberance |
| coup | a clever, sudden act or maneuver |
| expedite | to speed up |
| valor | marked courage or bravery |
| polyglot | one who speaks many languages; speaking many languages |
| incredulous | disbelieving; skeptical |
| artifact | an object produced by human work, especially one of historical or archaeological interest |
| seminal | original and inspiring further similar efforts |
| ambiguous | having more than one possible interpretation |
| discern | to perceive and understand so as to make distinction |
| provocative | tending to stimulate by making one interested or angry |
| influx | a mass arrival or incoming |
| terrestrial | relating to the rain |
| vehement | forceful; furious |
| narcissistic | excessively interested in one's own appearance, comfort, importance, etc. |
| tangible | able to be touched or treated as real |
| exemplary | worthy to serve as a model |
| malign | to talk badly of something or someone; harmful |
| preeminent | superior in status or fame to all others, especially as a generally recognized quality |
| prominent | noticeable; widely known |
| conflate | to bring together; to merge into a composite whole |
| prone | tending or likely to do something; lying face down |
| modest | limited in amount, extent, etc. |
| milestone | an important event |
| attain | to reach, get, or accomplish |
| tenuous | weak; thin |
| recidivist | one who returns to criminal habits |
| colt | a young male horse |
| elated | in high spirits; joyful |
| languid | sluggish; lacking energy |
| adept | very skilled, especially natural talent improved by practice |
| lofty | very high; noble |
| vie | to compete |
| vice | an evil practice or habit |
| distend | to stretch out; to expand |
| blandishment | a flattering act or remark; allurement; enticement |
| prim | overly proper; precise to the point of affectation; prudish |
| forge | to give form or shape to; to advance gradually |
| altercation | a heated or noisy argument |
| querulous | inclined to find fault; complaining; full of complaint |
| outmoded | no longer in fashion |
| vocation | a regular occupation, especially one for which a person is particularly suited |
| consummate | compete; supremely accomplished |
| check | to restrain or block |
| modicum | a small quantity |
| vicarious | felt as if one were taking part in the experiences of another |
| surrogate | a substitute |
| tenacious | holding firmly; cohesive |
| cupidity | strong desire for wealth; greed |
| facet | any of a number of sides or aspects |
| covet | to desire strongly |
| censure | to criticize severely |
| sanctimonious | pretending holiness; hypocritically devout |
| archetype | the original pattern or model; a perfect example |
| heed | to pay attention to |
| escapade | a reckless adventure |
| kindle | to set on fire; ignite |
| abstruse | difficult to understand |
| hypocrisy | the pretense of having virtues or beliefs that one does not really have |
| ornate | highly, often excessively decorated |
| allocate | to set apart for a special purpose; designate |
| autonomy | independence; self-government |
| laity | all the people not belonging to a given profession, especially the clergy |
| reprimand | a severe, often formal, rebuke; to rebuke severely |
| clique | exclusive group of people |
| profuse | giving or pouring forth freely; generous |
| adorn | add beauty; to decorate |
| facilitate | to make easier |
| reciprocate | to give something in return |
| gape | to open wide; to stare with the mouth open |
| deadlock | a tie; a standstill |
| connive | to cooperate secretly in wrongful action |
| consortium | an association, especially of businesses or investors, engaging in a joint venture |
| salacious | lustful; obscene |
| mores | accepted rules of behavior |
| nihilism | a belief that rejects all moral or religious values; the belief that the destruction of political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement |
| ado | trouble; fuss |
| blasé | indifferent or bored with life; unimpressed as if because of too much worldly experience |
| espouse | to give loyalty or support to; to adopt |
| vapid | lacking interest, animation, or flavor |
| venal | capable of being bribed or corrupted |
| clandestine | done in secret, especially to conceal something improper |
| enervate | to weaken |
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