| Term | Definition |
|---|
| devolve | (v.) to lower in power - like abasement! the son's fortune ___d on him on his coming of age |
| moiety | (n.) a part or portion, esp. a lesser share of something else. |
| sanguine | (adj.) cheerfully optimistic { they are not ___ about the prospect } |
| prudent | (adj.) acting with or showing care and thought for the future : no ___ money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose |
| amiable | (adj.) a friendly and pleasant manner : an ___, unassuming fellow. |
| caricature | (n.) something in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect. |
| consolation | (n.) comfort received by a person after a loss or disappointment : there was ___ in knowing that others were worse off; {When I'm sad, no one can ____ me, and when I'm happy, nothing can alloy me} |
| alloy | (v.) make (something) worse by adding something inferior to the mix. {When I'm sad, no one can console me, and when I'm happy, nothing can ____ me} |
| prodigious | (adj.) remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree : the stove consumed a ___ amount of fuel. |
| indecorous | (adj.) they swaggered in sporting wild hair and the most ____ attire improper, unseemly, unbecoming, undignified, immodest, indelicate, indecent, unladylike, ungentlemanly; inappropriate, incorrect, unsuitable, undesirable, unfitting, in bad taste, ill-bred, vulgar. |
| indefatigable | (adj.) (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly : an ___ defender of human rights. |
| diffident | (adj.) modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence : a ___ youth. |
| barouche | (n.) a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a collapsible hood over the rear half, a seat in front for the driver, and seats facing each other for the passengers, used esp. in the 19th century. |
| connoisseur | (n.) an expert judge in matters of taste : a ___ of music. |
| innate | (adj.) inborn; natural : her ___ capacity for organization. |
| propriety | (n.) the quality of conforming to accepted standards of behavior or morals : he always behaved with the utmost ___. |
| aggrandizement | (n.) an increase in the power, status, or wealth of : Edward Farrar's mom is eager for Edward's _____, which will hopefully include meeting fancy people and driving a barouche. |
| insinuation | (n.) an unpleasant hint or suggestion of something bad : I've done nothing to deserve all your vicious ____ |
| acquiescence | (n.) accept something reluctantly but without protest : Sara's ___ in his decision. |
| demesne | (n.) land attached to a manor and retained for the owner's own use. (pronounced Di-MAAN) |
| pique | (v.t.) to pride oneself |
| insatiable | (adj.) (of an appetite or desire) impossible to satisfy : an ___ hunger for success. |
| raillery | (n.) good-humored teasing. |
| insipid | (adj.) lacking interest or taste { ___ coffee : after three hours at an art place, a lot of the things seemed ___ } |
| censure | (v.t.) express severe disapproval of (someone or something), typically in a formal statement : a judge was ____ed in 1983 for a variety of types of injudicious conduct. |
| impertinent | (adj.) not showing proper respect; rude : an __ question. |
| chagrin | (n.) distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated : Jeff, much to his ___, wasn't invited. |
| exigency | (n.) an urgent need or demand : women worked long hours when the ___es of the family money situation demanded it |
| vivacious | (adj.) attractively lively and animated. { the play was filled with ___ and humor } |
| discourse | (n.) written or spoken communication or debate { the ___ between the two parties was dramatic} |
| acquiesce | (v.) to accept something reluctantly but without protest |
| protege | (n.) a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person |
| contempt | (n.) the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless, or deserving scorn |
| indifferent | (adj.) not caring about either one thing or another. |
| mutual | (adj.) held in common by two or more parties, or done to each other by two parties { he felt that they were becoming friends, and she said the felling was ___. } |
| minutiae | (plural noun) the small, precise, or trivial details of something : the ___ of everyday life. |
| sagacious | (adj.) having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd : they were ___ enough to avoid any outright confrontation. See note at sensible . |
| conjecture | (n.) an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information : their ___ about the newcomer were many and varied |
| excursion | (n.) a trip out of the house |
| curricle | (n.) a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side. |
| impudent | (adj.) not showing due respect for another person {the ___ mouse ignored the lion} |
| inadvertent | (adj.) not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning {the ____ way he drank his juice was suspicious} |
| avow | (v.) assert or confess openly {they ____ed their friendship} |
| extort | (v.) obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means : through means of force, the vampire ____ed the victim's blood. |
| maxim | (n.) a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct : the ___ that actions speak louder than words. |
| promontory | (n.) a point of high land that juts out into a large body of water; a headland : a rocky ___. |
| jargon | (n.) special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand : legal ___ |
| contemptuous | (adj.) showing contempt; scornful : I was ____ of my mom when I found out I couldn't go swimming. |
| reprimand | (v.) a formal disapproval of a certain behavior : William asked if he could come into Purple palace, and I ___ him because he didn't state his business. |
| benevolent | (adj.) well meaning and kindly : I am ____ queen of purple palace |
| philanthropic | (adj.) someone who donates lots of money to good causes : Mr. Dashwood's wife didn't want him to be ____. |
| extol | (v.) praise enthusiastically : I ___ed William on his new version of sticky-chow that didn't have to stick to the walls. |
| importunate | (adj.) persistent, esp. to the point of annoyance or intrusion : the ____ telemarketers called during dinner again. |
| rapacious | (adj.) aggressively greedy or grasping : William ___ly grabbed at the rock collection on my bed. |
| foible | (n.) a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character : my ___ is grinding my teeth at night. |
| poignant | (adj.) keenly felt, many times often even sad or regretful |
| reciprocal | (adj.) given, felt, or done in return : it was a ___ gift to the thank you note. |
| coxcomb | (n.) a vain and conceited man; a dandy. : the guy strutting down the street in the nice suit was definitely a ____. |
| ecstacy | (n.) an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement; an emotional or religious frenzy or rapture |
| ascertain | (v.) find (something) out for certain; make sure of : an attempt to ____ the cause of the accident |
| acquit | (v.t.) free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty : she was ___ed on all counts |
| unsolicited | (adj.) not asked for; given or done voluntarily : ___ junk mail. |
| instigate | (v.t) bring about or initiate (an action or event) : I ____ the game "Purple Palace" |
| malignant | (adj.) virulent, infectious, or malevolent: Pink Eye is a very ___ infection. |
| malevolent | (n.) having or showing a wish to do evil to others : the glint of dark, __ eyes | some ___ force of nature. |
| elucidate | (v.t.) make (something) clear; explain : work such as theirs will help to ___ this matter See note at clarify |
| diffuse | (v., v.t.) spread or cause to spread over a wide area or among a large number of people |
| cease | (v.) come to an end : the hostilities had ___ed and normal life was resumed | [with infinitive ] on his retirement the job will ___ to exist. |
| augment | (v.) to grow larger |
| conquest | (v.) to use force to exert power over an area : poet made a ___ of my bed |
| puppyism | (adj.) Extreme meanness, affectation, conceit, or impudence. (silly) |
| compunction | (n.) a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that follows the doing of something bad : spend the money without ____. |
| scruple | (n.) a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action : I had no ___s about eavesdropping |
| sedulous | (adj.) showing dedication and diligence : he watched himself with the most ___ care. |
| assiduity | (adj.) constant or close attention to what one is doing : the student paid attention to the class with such assiduity that it was suspicious to the person sitting next to him. |
| exult | show or feel elation or jubilation, esp. as the result of a success : ___ing in her escape, Annie closed the door behind her. |
| pretentious | (adj.) attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed : the girl evidently felt very highly of herself, because her personal narrative was filled with ___ facts |
| pretention | (n.) a claim or the assertion of a claim to something : poet had a ___ to be king, but he wasn't; he was only prince. |
| assertion | (n.) a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief [with clause ] : his ___ that his father had deserted the family. |
| obstinate | (adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so. |
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