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Combo with Sadlier-Oxford Vocab Level H - Unit 1-6

Terms in this set (120)

abortive
(adjective)
failing to accomplish an intended aim or purpose; only partially or imperfectly developed
bruit
(verb)
to spread the news, reports, or unsubstantiated rumors
contumelious
(adjective)
insolent or rude in speech or behavior; insultingly abusive; humiliating
dictum
(noun)
a short saying; an authoritative statement
ensconce
(verb)
to settle comfortably and firmly in position; to put or hide in a safe place
iconoclastic
(adjective)
attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions
in media res
(adverb)
in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things
internecine
(adjective)
mutually destructive; characterized by great slaughter and bloodshed
maladroit
(adjective)
lacking in skill or dexterity; lacking tact, perception, or judgment
maudlin
(adjective)
excessively or effusively sentimental
modulate
(verb)
to change or vary the intensity or pitch; to temper or soften; to regulate, adjust
portentous
(adjective)
foreshadowing an event to come; causing wonder or awe; self-conciously weighty, pompous
prescience
(noun)
knowledge of events or actions before they happen; foresight
quid pro quo
(noun)
something given in exchange or return for something else
salubrious
(adjective)
conducive to health or well-being; wholesome
saturnalian
(adjective)
characterized by riotous or unrestrained revelry or licentiousness
touchstone
(noun)
a means of testing worth or genuineness
traumatic
(adjective)
so shocking to the emotions as to cause lasting and substantial psychological damage
vitiate
(verb)
to weaken, debase, or corrupt; to impair the quality or value of
waggish
(adjective)
fond of making jokes; characteristic of a joker; playfully humorous or droll
aficionado
(noun)
an enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan
browbeat
(verb)
to intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully
commensurate
(adjective)
equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards
diaphanous
(adjective)
very sheer and light; almost completely transparent
emolument
(noun)
profit derived from an office or position or from employment; a fee or salary
foray
(noun)
a quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor
(verb)
to make such a raid
genre
(noun)
a type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary compositon; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted
homily
(noun)
a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse
immure
(verb)
to enclose or confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate
insouciant
(adjective)
blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky
matrix
(noun)
a mold; the surrounding situation or environment
obsequies
(noun)
funeral rites or ceremonies
panache
(noun)
a confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display
persona
(noun)
a character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes
philippic
(noun)
a bitter or verbal attack
prurient
(adjective)
having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires
sacrosanct
(adjective)
very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack
systemic
(adjective)
of or pertaining to the entire body; relating to a system or systems
tendentious
(adjective)
intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan
vicissitude
(noun)
a change, variation, or alteration
(plural)
successive or changing phases or conditions
aegis
(noun)
protection; patronage; sponsorship
apprise
(verb)
to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice
bibulous
(adjective)
fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent
claque
(noun)
a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat
deracinate
(verb)
to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of
eleemosynary
(adjective)
charitable; dependent upon or supported by charity; derived from or provided by charity
indigenous
(adjective)
originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn, inherent
lachrymose
(adjective)
given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious
lexicon
(noun)
a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject,; a compendium
melee
(noun)
a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tulmultuous mingling
microcosm
(noun)
a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system
minuscule
(adjective)
very small, tiny
(noun)
a lowercase letter
obfuscate
(noun)
to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder
paternalism
(noun)
the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children
polarize
(verb)
to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern
purview
(noun)
the range, extent, or scope of something, in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute
sanguine
(adjective)
having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook
solecism
(noun)
a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake
vassal
(noun)
a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant
(adjective)
subservient
verisimilitude
(noun)
the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable
ancillary
(adjective)
subordinate or supplementary
bowdlerize
(verb)
to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc.)
condescend
(verb)
to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner
cozen
(verb)
to trick; to cheat or swindle
enclave
(noun)
an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character
forte
(noun)
a person's strong point; what a person does best
gratis
(adjective)
free
(adverb)
without charge
icon
(noun)
a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion
interstice
(noun)
a small, narrow space between things or parts of things
macrocosm
(noun)
the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something
mountebank
(noun)
a trickster or swindler; a charlatan
paean
(noun)
a song of praise, joy, or triumph
persiflage
(noun)
lighthearted joking, talk, or writing
plethora
(noun)
overfullness; superabundance; superfluity
pragmatic
(adjective)
concerned with practical considerations or values; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory
quizzical
(adjective)
puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal
rapacity
(noun)
inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one's desires by force, extortion, or plunder
schism
(noun)
a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions
therapeutic
(adjective)
having the power to heal or cure; beneficial
virtuoso
(noun)
a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique
(adjective)
masterly or brilliant
adjunct
(noun)
something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic
(adjective)
added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity
bellwether
(noun)
the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends
caterwaul
(verb)
to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel
(noun)
a harsh or noisy cry; a racket
chimerical
(adjective)
absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible
effete
(adjective)
lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out-of-date
fait accompli
(noun)
an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action
hidebound
(adjective)
narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative
hierarchy
(noun)
any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.
liturgy
(noun)
a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship
mirage
(noun)
something illusory, without substance or without a basis in reality; an illusion
morass
(noun)
a patch of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand
noisome
(adjective)
offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious
oblivious
(adjective)
forgetful; unaware
poltroon
(noun)
a base coward
proselyte
(noun)
a convert; a disciple
quasi
(adjective)
resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely
raillery
(noun)
good-humored ridicule; teasing
ribald
(adjective)
irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language
supine
(adjective)
lyng flat on one's back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive
vignette
(noun)
a short description or sketch; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter
affinity
(noun)
a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection
bilious
(adjective)
peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant
cognate
(adjective)
closely related in origin, essential nature, or function
(noun)
such a person or thing
corollary
(noun)
a proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence or result
(adjective)
resultant or consequent
cul-de-sac
(noun)
a blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse
derring-do
(noun)
valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics)
divination
(noun)
the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge
elixir
(noun)
a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea, a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines
folderol
(noun)
foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle
gamut
(noun)
an entire range or series
hoi polloi
(noun)
the common people, the masses
ineffable
(adjective)
not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered
lucubration
(noun)
laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work
mnemonic
(adjective)
relating to or designed to assist the memory
(noun)
a device to aid the memory
obloquy
(noun)
a public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment
parameter
(noun)
a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the total outcome; a limit, boundary
pundit
(noun)
a learned person; one who gives authoritative opinions
risible
(adjective)
pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh; laughable
symptomatic
(adjective)
typical or characteristic; being or concerned with a symptom of a disease
volte-face
(noun)
an about-face; a complete reversal
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