english vocabulary unit 2

ameliorate
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Terms in this set (20)
ameliorate
to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
aplomb
(n.) poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
bombastic
(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
callow
(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers
drivel
(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly
epitome
(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
exhort
(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly
ex officio
(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office
infringe
to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
ingratiate
(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)
interloperone who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruderintrinsic(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or partinveigh(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapprovallassitude(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energymillenniuma period of time of one thousand yearsoccult(adj.) secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; mysterious, magical, uncanny; (v.) to hide, cover up; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernaturalpermeate(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak throughprecipitate(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height, to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or processstringent(adj.) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the tastesurmise(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof