| Term | Definition |
|---|
| ample | abundant |
| aristocracy | hereditary nobility; priveleged class |
| circumspect | prudent; cautious |
| cliché | phrase dulled in meaning by repetition |
| condone | overlook voluntarily; forgive |
| consolidation | unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger |
| convention | social or moral custom; established practice |
| curtail | shorten; reduce |
| cynical | skeptical or distrustful of human motives |
| dawdle | loiter; waste time |
| demean | degrade; humiliate |
| denounce | condemn; criticize |
| detached | emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent |
| didactic | teaching; instructional |
| discernible | distinguishable; perceivable |
| disinterested | unprejudiced |
| disparage | belittle |
| disparate | basically different; unrelated |
| dispel | scatter; cause to vanish |
| divulge | reveal |
| docile | obedient; easily managed |
| doctrine | teachings, in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught |
| eclipse | darken; extinguish; surpass |
| enigma | puzzle; mystery |
| enumerate | list; mention one by one |
| erratic | odd; unpredictable |
| esoteric | hard to understand; known only to the chosen few |
| espouse | adopt; support |
| esteem | respect; value |
| expedite | hasten |
| exploit | deed or action, particularly a brave deed |
| fallacious | efalse; misleading |
| farce | broad comedy; mockery |
| fastidious | difficult to please; squeamish |
| flippant | lacking proper seriousness |
| forthright | outspoken; frank |
| futile | useless; hopeless; ineffectual |
| garrulous | loquacious; wordy; talkative |
| gluttonous | greedy for food |
| gratify | please |
| gregarious | sociable |
| hamper | obstruct |
| heed | pay attention to; consider |
| iconoclastic | attacking cherished traditions |
| impede | hinder; block; delay |
| imperceptible | unnoticeable; undetectable |
| implacable | incapable of being pacified |
| inconsequential | insignificant; unimportant |
| indict | charge |
| industrious | diligent; hard-working |
| inept | lacking skill; unsuited; incompetent |
| ingenuous | naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated |
| ingrate | ungrateful person |
| inherent | firmly established by nature or habit |
| innate | inborn |
| innocuous | harmless |
| inscrutable | impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious |
| intricacy | complexity; knottiness |
| larceny | theft |
| meek | quiet and obedient; spiritless |
| misrepresent | give a false or incorrect impression, usually intentionally |
| outmoded | no longer stylish; old-fashioned |
| pacifist | one opposed to force; antimilitarist |
| paradox | something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct |
| patronize | support; act superior toward; be a customer of |
| pedantic | showing off learning; bookish |
| perjury | false testimony while under oath |
| perpetual | everlasting |
| pervasive | pervading; spread throughout every part |
| petulant | touchy; peevish |
| phenomena | observable facts or events |
| philanthropist | lover of mankind; doer of good |
| potency | power; effectiveness; influence |
| pragmatic | practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something |
| premise | assumption; postulate |
| prevail | triumph; predominate; prove superior in strength, power, or influence; be current |
| proliferation | rapid growth; spread; multiplication |
| prolific | abundantly fruitful |
| provocative | arousing anger or interest; annoying |
| prudent | cautious; careful |
| recluse | hermit; loner |
| relinquish | give up something with reluctance; yield |
| repudiate | disown; disavow |
| resolution | determination |
| reticent | reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to be silent |
| reverent | respectful; worshipful |
| strategem | deceptive scheme |
| subdued | less intense; quieter |
| subversive | tending to overthrow or destroy |
| superfluous | excessive; unnecessary |
| synthesis | combining parts into a whole |
| taciturn | habitually silent; talking little |
| temperament | characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess |
| thwart | baffle; frustrate |
| trepidation | fear; nervous apprehension |
| urbane | suave; refined; elegant |
| utopia | ideal place, state, or society |
| vacillate | waver; fluctuate |
| vigor | active strength |
| volatile | changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly |
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