Units:
- Vocabulary Workshop F Unit 15
- SAT Vocabulary Quiz 1
- SAT Vocabulary Quiz 2
- SAT Vocabulary Quiz 3
adamant
(adj) firm in purpose or opinion, unyielding, obdurate, implacable, inflexible; (n) an extremely hard substance
brouhaha
(n) a confused hodgepodge of sounds, hubbub; an uproar or commotion that goes far beyond what is justified
bulwark
(n)a strong defense or protection, a solid wall-like structure for defense; (v) to provide such defense or protection
choleric
(adj) easily made angry, bad-tempered
cloy
(v) to spoil or destroy an appetite by too much indulgence, especially in sweet or rich things; to glut, satiate, surfeit
curtail
(v) to cut short, bring to a halt or end sooner than expected; to reduce
deference
(n) courteous yielding to the wishes and ideas of another person; great respect marked by submission, as to a superior
definitive
(adj) conclusive, final, representing the limit of what can be done
Demeanor
(n) the way a person behaves, overall impression made by comportment, manner, etc.; facial expression, mien
enigmatic
(adj) puzzling, perplexing, inexplicable, not easily understood
Impromptu
(adj, adv) without preparation, offhand, suddenly or hastily done; (n) an extemporaneous composition or remark; a minimal piece suggestive of improvisation
mawkish
(adj) excessively and objectionably sentimental; having a mildly sickening flavor
mollify
(v) to soften, make gentle, pacify; to calm, allay (as an emotion), assuage, appease, placate; to reduce in intensity
onus
(n) something that is heavy or burdensome (especially an unwelcome responsibility); a stigma; blame
presentiment
(n) a vague sense of approaching misfortune
profligate
(adj) given over to dissipation and self-indulgence, immoral; recklessly extravagant; (n) a person given to self-indulgent and wild spending
remit
(v) to send or hand in (as money); to cancel (as a penalty or punishment), forgive, pardon; to lessen, diminish; to put off, postpone, defer
requisite
(adj) needed, necessary, regarded as essential or indispensable
sartorial
(adj) of or pertaining to a tailor or his work; having to do with clothes or dress (especially men's)
thwart
(v) to oppose successfully; to prevent, frustrate
abridge
(verb) condense or shorten
abstract
(adjective) theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
acclaim
(verb/noun) applaud; announce with great approval
adulation
(noun) flattery; admiration
adversary
(noun) opponent
adversity
(noun) poverty; misfortune
advocate
(verb) urge; plead for
aesthetic
(adjective) artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful ______ noun)
affirmation
(noun) positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath
altruistic
(adjective) unselfishly generous; concerned for others
ambiguous
(adjective) unclear or doubtful in meaning
ambivalence
(noun) the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
anarchist
(noun) person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority
apathy
(noun) lack of caring; indifference
arbitrary
(adjective) capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical
articulate
(adjective) effective; distinct
ascendancy
(noun) controlling influence; domination
ascetic
(adjective/noun) practicing self-denial; austere
astute
(adjective) wise; shrewd; keen
austere
(adjective) forbiddingly stern; severely simple
autonomous
(adjective/noun) self-governing ; ____
belie
(verb) contradict; give a false impression
benevolent
(adjective) generous; charitable
brevity
(noun) conciseness
cajole
(verb) coax; wheedle
capricious
(adjective) unpredictable; fickle
diminution
(noun) lessening; reduction in size
discerning
(adjective) mentally quick and observant; having insight
discordant
(adjective) not harmonious; conflicting
discrepancy
(noun) lack of consistency; difference
disdain
(verb) to view with scorn or contempt
disinclination
(noun) unwillingness
dismiss
(verb) to put away from consideration; to reject
disparage
(verb) to belittle
disparity
(noun) difference; condition of inequality
disperse
(verb) to scatter
disseminate
(verb) to distribute; to spread; to scatter(like seeds)
divergent
(adjective) differing; deviating
dogmatic
(adjective) opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
duplicity
(noun) double-dealing; hypocrisy
eclectic
(adjective) composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
eloquence
(noun) expressiveness; persuasive speech
elusive
(adjective) evasive; baffling; hard to grasp
embellish
(verb) to adorn; to ornament
emulate
(verb) to imitate; to rival
enhance
(verb) to increase; to improve
enigma
(noun) puzzle; mystery
ephemeral
(adjective) short-lived; fleeting
equivocal
(adjective) ambiguous; intentionally misleading
erudite
(adjective) learned; scholarly
esoteric
(adjective) hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
eulogy
(noun) expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death
euphemism
(noun) mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
exacerbate
(verb) to worsen; to embitter
exemplary
(adjective) serving as a model; outstanding
exhaustive
(adjective) thorough; comprehensive
exonerate
(verb) to acquit; to exculpate
expedient
(adjective) suitable; practical; politic
explicit
(adjective) totally clear; definite; outspoken
extol
(verb) to praise; to glorify
extraneous
(adjective) not essential; superfluous
extricate
(verb) to free; to disentangle
exuberance
(noun) overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness
fallacious
(adjective) false; misleading
fanaticism
(noun) excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause
fastidious
(adjective) difficult to please; squeamish
fervor
(noun) glowing ardor; intensity of feeling
flagrant
(adjective) conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous
frivolous
(adjective) lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant
frugality
(noun) thrift; economy
furtive
(adjective) stealthy; sneaky
homogeneous
(adjective) of the same kind
hypocritical
(adjective) pretending to be virtuous; deceiving
hypothetical
(adjective) based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed
immutable
(adjective) unchangeable
impair
(verb) to injure; to hurt
impede
(verb) to hinder; to block; to delay
inane
(adjective) silly; senseless
incite
(verb) to arouse to action
incongruous
(adjective) not fitting; absurd
garrulous
(adjective) loquacious; wordy; talkative
gravity
(noun) seriousness
gregarious
(adjective) sociable
guile
(noun) deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning
hamper
(verb) to obstruct
haughtiness
(noun) pride; arrogance
hedonist
(noun) one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim of life
heresy
(noun) opinion contrary to the popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion
hierarchy
(noun) arrangement by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks
incorrigible
(adjective) not correctable
induce
(verb) to persuade; to bring about
ingenious
(adjective) clever; resourceful
inherent
(adjective) firmly established by nature or habit
innate
(adjective) inborn
innocuous
(adjective) harmless
innovation
(noun) change; introduction of something new
insipid
(adjective) lacking in flavor; dull