unit 13
Order by
20 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 abstruse (ab struse') | adj. extremely difficult to understand s. esoteric, arcane, recondite, occult a. simple, straightforward |
| affront (a ffront') | n. an open or intentional insult; a slight v. to insult to one's face; to face in defiance, confront s. offense, offend a. compliment, praise |
| canard (ca nard') | n. a false rumor, fabricated story s. hoax |
| captious (cap' tious) | adj. excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up s. faultfinding, nit-picking, carping a. uncritical |
| cognizant (cog' ni zant) | adj. aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction s. conscious, acquainted a. unaware, unconscious, oblivious |
| contrite (con trite') | adj. regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent s. remorseful, rueful a. unrepentant, unapologetic, impenitent |
| cynosure (cy' no sure) | n. the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct s. focus |
| decorous (dec' or ous) | adj. well behaved, dignified, socially proper s. seemly, becoming, tasteful a. unseemly, unbecoming, improper, tasteless |
| deign | v. to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something; to condescend s. deem, stoop |
| desiccated (des' i ccated) | adj. part. thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting s. dehydrated, shriveled, parched a. sodden, soggy, waterlogged, drenched |
| efficacy (eff' i ca cy) | n. the power to produce a desired result s. effectiveness, potency, reliability a. ineffectiveness, impotence |
| engender (en gen' der) | v. to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form s. beget, generate, cause, form a. stop, deter |
| ethereal (e ther' e al) | adj. light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound) s. heavenly, celestial, gossamer a. infernal, hellish, thick, heavy |
| facade (fa cade') | n. the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind) s. exterior, surface, mask, pretense a. interior |
| ghoulish (ghoul' ish) | adj. revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead s. fiendish, barbarous, monstrous |
| incongruous (in con' gru ous) | adj. not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible s. discordant, jarring a. compatible, harmonious, consistent |
| machination (mach i na' tion) | n. a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end s. plot, scheme, maneuver |
| mesmerize (mes' mer ize) | v. to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch |
| opprobrium (o ppro' bri um) | n. disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach s. infamy, dishonor, odium, shame a. acclaim, honor, glory, renown |
| putative (pu ta' tive) | adj. generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred s. supposed, presumed a. known, corroborated, confirmed |
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