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alacrity
an eager willingness to do something
The first three weeks at his new job, Mark worked with suchalacritythat upper management knew it would be giving him a promotion.
anathema
a detested person; the source of someone’s hate
Hundreds of years ago, Galileo wasanathemato the church; today the church isanathemato some on the left side of the political spectrum.
apogee
the highest point
Theapogeeof the Viennese style of music, Mozart’s music continues to mesmerize audiences well into the 21st century.
apostate
a person who has abandoned a religious faith or cause
Anapostateof the Republican Party, Sheldon has yet to become affiliated with any party and dubs himself an independent.
arrant
complete and wholly (usually modifying a noun with negative connotation)
Anarrantfool, Lawrence surprised nobody when he lost all his money in a pyramid scheme that was every bit as transparent as it was corrupt.
artless
without cunning or deceit
Despite the president’s seeminglyartlessspeeches, he was a skilled and ruthless negotiator.
attenuate
to weaken (in terms of intensity); to taper off/become thinner
Her animosity towards Bobattenuatedover the years, and she even went so far as to invite him to her party.
base
the lowest, without any moral principles
She was not sobaseas to begrudge the beggar the unwanted crumbs from her dinner plate.
beg
verb:assume something is true (usu. followed by “the question”, meaning that you ask a question in which you assume something that hasn’t been proven true)
By assuming that Charlie was headed to college—which he was not—Maggiebeggedthe question when she asked him to which school he was headed in the Fall.
byzantine
(of a system or situation) intricate and complex
Getting a driver’s license is not simply a matter of taking a test; the regulations and procedures are sobyzantinethat many have found themselves at the mercy of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
catholic
of a broad scope; universal
Jonah’s friends said that Jonah’s taste in music was eclectic; Jonah was quick to point out that not only was his taste eclectic but it was alsocatholic: he enjoyed music from countries as far-flung as Mali and Mongolia.
chary
cautious, suspiciously reluctant to do something
Having received three speeding tickets in the last two months, Jack wascharyof driving at all above the speed limit, even on a straight stretch of highway that looked empty for miles ahead.
choleric
prone to outbursts of temper; easily angered
While a brilliant lecturer, Mr. Dawson came across ascholericand unapproachable—very rarely did students come to his office hours.
churlish
lacking manners or refinement; rude in a mean-spirited and surly way.
“it seems churlish to complain”
conciliate
to make peace with
His opponents believed his gesture to beconciliatory, yet as soon as they put down their weapons, he unsheathed a hidden sword.
contentious
likely to argue
Since old grandpa Harry became verycontentiousduring the summer when only reruns were on T.V., the grandkids learned to hide from him at every opportunity.
cow
to intimidate
Do not becowedby a 3,000-word vocabulary list: turn that list into a deck of flashcards!
defray
to help pay the cost of, either in part or in full
In order for Sean to attend the prestigious college, his generous uncle helpeddefraythe excessive tuition with a monthly donation.
diatribe
a strong verbal attack against a person or institution
Steve’s mom launched into adiatribeduring the PTA meeting, contending that the school was little more than a daycare in which students stare at the wall and teachers stare at the chalkboard.
equivocate
to speak vaguely, usually with the intention to mislead or deceive
After Sharon brought the car home an hour after her curfew, sheequivocatedwhen her parents pointedly asked her where she had been.
exegesis
critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture.
The Bible is fertile ground forexegesis—over the past five centuries there have been as many interpretations as there are pages in the Old Testament.
expansive
adjective:communicative, and prone to talking in a sociable manner
After a few sips of cognac, the octogenarian shed his irascible demeanor and becameexpansive, speaking fondly of the “good old days”.
expunge
to eliminate completely
When I turned 18, all of the shoplifting and jaywalking charges wereexpungedfrom my criminal record.
factious
adjective:produced by, or characterized by internal dissension
The controversial bill provedfactious, as dissension even within parties resulted
feckless
lazy and irresponsible
Two years after graduation, Charlie still lived with his parents and had no job, becoming morefecklesswith each passing day.
fractious
irritable and is likely to cause disruption
We rarely invite myfractiousUncle over for dinner; he always complains about the food, and usually launches into a tirade on some touchy subject.
hector
to bully or intimidate
The boss’shectoringmanner put off many employees, some of whom quit as soon as they found new jobs.
imbibe
to drink or absorb as if drinking
PlatoimbibedSocrates’ teachings to such an extent that he was able to write volumes of work that he directly attributed, sometimes word for word, to Socrates.
indigent
(adj) poor, having very little OR (n) a poor or needy person
In the so-called Third World, many areindigentand only a privileged few have the resources to enjoy material luxuries.
Theindigents, huddled under the overpass, tried to start a small bonfire in the hope of staying warm.
insufferable
intolerable, difficult to endure
Chester always tried to find some area in which he excelled above others; unsurprisingly, his co-workers found himinsufferableand chose to exclude him from daily luncheons out.
jingoist
noun:a person who thinks their country is always right and who is in favor of aggressive acts against other countries
In the days leading up to war, a nation typically breaks up into the two opposing camps: doves, who do their best to avoid war, andjingoists, who are only too eager to wave national flags from their vehicles and vehemently denounce those who do not do the same.
kowtow
to bow or act in a subservient manner
Paulkowtowedto his boss so often the boss herself became nauseated by his sycophancy.
lascivious
lecherous; sexually perverted
Lolita is a challenging novel for many, not necessarily because of the elevated prose style but because of the depravity of the main character, Humbert Humbert, who, as an old,lasciviousman, lusts after a girl.
malfeasance
misconduct or wrongdoing (especially by a public official)
nadir
the lowest point
For many pop music fans, the rap– and alternative-rock–dominated 90s were thenadirof musical expression.
overweening
arrogant, presumptuous
Mark was so convinced of his basketball skills that in hisoverweeningpride he could not fathom that his name was not on the varsity list; he walked up to the basketball coach and told her she had forgotten to add his name.
pariah
an outcast
The once eminent scientist, upon being found guilty of faking his data, has become apariahin the research community.
penurious
(adj) lacking money; poor OR (adj) miserly
Trulypenurious, Mary had nothing more than a jar full of pennies.
Warren Buffett, famous multi-billionaire, still drives a cheap sedan, not because he ispenurious, but because luxury cars are gaudy and impractical.
perfunctory
(of an action or gesture) done routinely and with little interest or care
The short film examines modernperfunctorycleaning rituals such as washing dishes, doing laundry and tooth-brushing.
ponderous
weighed-down; moving slowly
“her footsteps were heavy and ponderous”
precipitate
(adj) hasty or rash OR (v) to cause to happen
“I must apologize for my staff—their actions were precipitate”
“the incident precipitated a political crisis”
prosaic
dull and lacking imagination
Unlike the talented artists in his workshop, Paul had no such bent for the visual medium, so when it was time for him to make a stained glass painting, he ended up with aprosaicmosaic.
saturnine
morose or gloomy
Deprived of sunlight, humans becomesaturnine; that’s why in very northerly territories people are encouraged to sit under an extremely powerful lamp, lest they become morose.
sedulous
done diligently and carefully
An avid numismatist, Haroldsedulouslyamassed a collection of coins from over 100 countries—an endeavor that took over fifteen years across five continents.
supercilious
haughty and disdainful; looking down on others
Nelly felt the Quiz Bowl director actedsuperciliouslytowards the underclassmen; really, she fumed, must he act so preternaturally omniscient each time he intones some obscure fact—as though everybody knows that Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America.
truculent
eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant. (n form: truculence)
Standing in line for six hours, she became progressivelytruculent, yelling at DMV employees and elbowing other people waiting in line.
turpitude
depravity; a depraved act
During his reign, Caligula indulged in unspeakable sexual practices, so it is not surprising that he will forever be remembered for histurpitude.
untoward
unfavorable, inconvenient
Some professors find teachinguntowardas having to prepare for lectures and conduct office hours prevents them from focusing on their research.
vicissitude
change in one’s circumstances, usually for the worse
Even great rulers have theirvicissitudes—massive kingdoms have diminished overnight, and once beloved kings have faced the scorn of angry masses.
zeitgeist
spirit of the times
Each decade has its ownzeitgeist—the 1990’s was a prosperous time in which the promise of the American Dream never seemed more palpable.
abjure
“verb formally reject or give up (as a belief).
While the church believed that Galileo abjured the heliocentric theory under threat of torture, he later wrote a book clearly supporting the theory.”
abrogate
“verb repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement).
As part of the agreement between the labor union and the company, the workers abrogated their right to strike for four years in exchange for better health insurance.”
OR
evade (a responsibility or duty).
“we believe the board is abrogating its responsibilities to its shareholders”
adjudicate
“verb to serve as a judge in a competition; to arrive at a judgment or conclusion.
Only those with the most refined palates were able to adjudicate during the barbecue competition.”
afford
“verb provide with an opportunity.
The summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro affords a panoramic view that encompasses both Tanzania and Kenya.”
anachronism
“noun something that is inappropriate for the given time period (usually something old).
Dressed in 15th century clothing each day, Edward was a walking anachronism.”
anemic
“adjective lacking energy and vigor.
After three straight shows, the lead actress gave an anemic performance the fourth night, barely speaking loudly enough for those in the back rows to hear.”
anodyne
not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so
Muzak, which is played in department stores, is intended to be an anodyne, but is often so cheesy and over-the-top that customers become irritated.
Wilbur enjoyed a spicy Mexican breakfast, but Jill preferred a far more anodyne meal in the mornings.
antic
“adjective ludicrously odd.
The clown’s antic act was too extreme for the youngest children, who left the room in tears.”
aplomb
“noun great coolness and composure under strain.
Nancy acted with aplomb during dangerous situations–she once calmly climbed up an oak tree to save a. cat.”
apothegm
noun a short, pithy instructive saying; a maxim; an aphorism
Winston Churchill is famous for many apothegms, but this might be his most famous: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”
apotheosis
“noun exaltation to divine status; the highest point of development.
As difficult as it is to imagine, the apotheosis of Mark Zuckerberg’s career, many believe, is yet to come.”
approbatory
“adjective expressing praise or approval.
Although it might not be her best work, Hunter’s new novel has received generally approbatory reviews.”
appropriate
“verb to take something by force OR to allocate.
The government appropriated land that was occupied by squatters, sending them scurrying for another place to live.
The committee appropriated the funds to its various members.
appurtenant
“adjective belonging; pertinent.
In hiking Mt. Everest, sherpas are appurtenant, helping climbers both carry gear and navigate treacherous paths.”
arch
“adjective to be deliberately teasing.
The baroness was arch, making playful asides to the townspeople; yet because they couldn’t pick up on her dry humor, they thought her supercilious.”
arriviste
“noun a person who has recently reached a position of power; a social climber.
The city center was aflutter with arrivistes who each tried to outdo one another with their ostentatious sports cars and chic evening dress.”
arrogate
“verb seize and control without authority.
Arriving at the small town, the outlaw arrogated the privileges of a lord, asking the frightened citizens to provide food, drink, and entertainment.”
artifice
“noun cunning tricks used to deceive others.
The mayoral candidates both spent much of the campaign accusing each other of artifices designed to mislead the voting public.”
artlessness
“noun the quality of innocence. without guile or deceit
I, personally, found the artlessness of her speech charming.”
asperity
“noun harshness of manner.
The editor was known for his asperity, often sending severe letters of rejection to amateur writers.”
assiduously
“adverb with care and persistence.
The top college football program recruits new talent assiduously, only choosing those who were the top in their county.”
atavism
“noun a reappearance of an earlier characteristic; throwback.
Much of the modern art movement was an atavism to a style of art found only in small villages through Africa and South America.”
autocratic
adjective. characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty
OR offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power.
The last true autocratic country is certainly North Korea; nowhere does a leader exercise the absolute control over all aspects of a people the way that Kim Jong-un does.
The manager was finally fired for his autocratic leadership, which often bordered on rude and offensive.”
baleful
“adjective threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments.
Movies often use storms or rain clouds as a baleful omen of evil events that will soon befall the main character.”
bastardization
“noun an act that debases or corrupts.
The movie World War Z is a complete bastardization of the book with little more in common than zombies and a title.”
bemoan
“verb express discontent or a stong regret.
While the CFO carefully explained all the reasons for the cuts in benefits, after the meeting employees bemoaned the cuts as further evidence that management was against them.”
benighted
adjective in a state of pitiful or contemptible intellectual or moral ignorance, typically owing to a lack of opportunity.
“they saw themselves as bringers of culture to poor benighted peoples”
bereft
“adjective unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love.
After 64 years of marriage, William was bereft after the death of his wife.”
OR
“adjective sorrowful through loss or deprivation.
You are not bereft if you haven’t played on your Xbox in the past week, his mother said.”
besotted
“adjective strongly affectionate towards.
Even though her father did not approve, Juliet became besotted with the young Romeo.”
OR
“adjective very drunk.
Never before have I seen my mom so besotted, and honestly, I hope it’s the last time she drinks so much.”
bilious
“adjective irritable; always angry.
Rex was bilious all morning, and his face would only take on a look of contentedness when he’d had his morning cup of coffee.”
blinkered
“adjective (as a horse wearing blinders) to have a limited outlook or understanding.
In gambling, the addict is easily blinkered by past successes and/or past failures, forgetting that the outcome of any one game is independent of the games that preceded it.”
bowdlerize
“verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate, especially with the result that the text becomes weaker or less effective; expurgate; censor
To receive an R rating, the entire movie was bowdlerized because it contained so much violence and grotesque subject matter.”
bridle
bring (something) under control; curb.
“the fact that he was their servant bridled his tongue”
OR
show one’s resentment or anger, especially by throwing up the head and drawing in the chin.
“ranchers have bridled at excessive federal control”
bristle
“verb react in an offended or angry manner.
As we discussed the painting, I noticed the artist’s wife bristling at our criticisms, ready to defend her husband’s work.”
broadside
“noun a strong verbal attack.
Political broadsides are usually strongest in the weeks leading up to a national election.”
bromide
noun a trite or obvious remark.
Instead of sharing his umbrella, the cheeky stranger offered Martha the following bromide: “Looks like it’s raining.”
brook
“verb put up with something or somebody unpleasant.
While she was at the chalkboard, the teacher did not brook any form of talking–even a tiny peep resulted in afternoon detention.”
browbeat
verb be bossy towards; discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner
During the interrogation, the suspect was browbeaten into signing a false confession.
callow
“adjective young and inexperienced.
Both Los Angeles and New York are known for callow out-of-towners hoping to make it big.”
canard
an unfounded rumor or story.
“The public will always be fooled by the media’s canards.”
“the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland”
capitulate
“cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender.
Paul, losing 19-0 in a ping-pong match against his nimble friend, basically capitulated when he played the last two points with his eyes closed.”
cataclysm
“noun an event resulting in great loss and misfortune.
The introduction of smallpox was a cataclysm for Native Americans, killing off more than half of their population.”
cede
“verb relinquish possession or control over.
Eventually, all parents must cede control of their growing children’s educations and allow their offspring some autonomy.”
celerity
“noun speed, rapidity.
We aim to respond to customers’ questions with celerity and accuracy, with no longer than a 24 hour wait time.”
chagrin
“noun strong feelings of embarrassment.
Much to the the timid writer’s chagrin, the audience chanted his name until he came back on the stage.”
OR
“verb cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of.
She never cared what others said about her appearance but was chagrined by the smallest comment from her mother.”
charlatan
“noun a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes.
You may call him a ““motivational speaker,”” but I call him a charlatan–he doesn’t have any idea what he’s really talking about.”
chauvinism
“noun fanatical patriotism (jingoism)
OR belief that one’s group/cause is superior to all other groups/causes.
Vegetarians argue that man is chauvinistic in his belief that animals do not consciously feel the pain we humans do.”
chimera
“noun something desired or wished for but is only an illusion and impossible to achieve
Many believe that a world free of war is a chimera–a dream that ignores humanity’s violent tendencies.
complaisant
“adjective showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others.
On her first day at the job, Annie was complaisant, fulfilling every request of her new employer and anticipating future requests.”
complicit
“adjective Associated with or participating in an activity, especially one of a questionable nature.
While the grand jury cleared the senator of all criminal charges, in the public mind he was still complicit in the corruption.”
concomitant
“adjective describing an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another.
Concomitant with his desire for nature was a desire for the culture and energy of a big city.”
conflagration
“noun a very intense and uncontrolled fire.
In the summer months, conflagrations are not uncommon in the southwest, do to the heat and lack of rain.”
conflate
“verb mix together different elements or concepts.
In her recent book, the author conflates several genres–the detective story, the teen thriller, and the vampire romance–to create a memorable read.”
corollary
“noun a practical consequence that follows naturally.
A corollary of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged the east coast of the U.S., is a push to build higher sea walls to protect against future hurricanes.”
cosseted
“verb treat with excessive indulgence.
The king and queen cosseted the young prince, giving him a prized miniature pony for his fifth birthday.”
coterminous
“adjective being of equal extent or scope or duration.
The border of the state is coterminous with geographic limits on travel; the east and north are surrounded by a nearly uncrossable river and the south by a desert.”
“the southern frontier was coterminous with the French Congo colony”
countermand
“verb a contrary command cancelling or reversing a previous command.
By the time the colonel countermanded his soldiers not to land in enemy territory, a few helicopters had already touched down amid heavy gunfire.”
crestfallen
“adjective brought low in spirit.
I asked Maria on a date and she refused without a moment’s thought; I was crestfallen.”
crystallize
“verb cause to take on a definite and clear shape.
Only after fifteen minutes of brainstorming did Samantha’s ideas for the essay crystallize.”
cupidity
“noun greed for money.
Some believe people that amassing as much wealth as possible is the meaning to life–yet they often realize that cupidity brings anything but happiness.”
curmudgeon
“noun a grouchy, surly person.
Since Uncle Mike was the family curmudgeon, each Thanksgiving he was plied with copious amounts of wine, in the hope that he would become less grouchy.”
debonair
“adjective having a sophisticated charm.
James Bond is known for his good looks, high tech gadgets, and debonair manner.”
decry
“verb express strong disapproval of; publicly denounce
The entire audience erupted in shouts and curses, decrying the penalty card issued by the referee.”
deign
“verb do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity.
The master of the house never deigned to answer questions from the servants.”
demonstrative
“adjective given to or marked by the open expression of emotion.
When Sally told James that she wanted to break up with him, she expected he would react demonstratively, but he quietly nodded his head and left without saying a word.”
denouement
“noun the final resolution of the many strands of a literary or dramatic work; the outcome of a complex sequence of events.
At the denouement of the movie, all questions were answered, and the true identity of the robber was revealed.”
derelict
“adjective (of a person) not doing one’s duties.
The teacher was derelict in her duties because she hadn’t graded a single student paper in three weeks.”
OR
“noun (of a building) abandoned.
At one time the waterfront factories were busy and productive, but now they stand derelict and will be torn down.”
desiccated
“adjective uninteresting, lacking vitality.
Few novelists over 80 are able to produce anything more than desiccated works–boring shadows of former books.
desideratum
“noun something desired as a necessity.
The desideratum of the environmental group is that motorists should rely on carpooling.”
despot
“noun a cruel and oppressive dictator.
The Emperor Claudius was regarded as a fair-minded leader; his successor, Nero, was an absolute despot.”
diminutive
noun to indicate smallness.
He prefers to be called a diminutive of his name: “Bill” instead of “John William.”
OR
“adjective very small.
When he put on his father’s suit and shoes, his appearance was that of a diminutive youth.”
disabuse
“verb to persuade somebody that his/her belief is not valid.
As a child, I was quickly disabused of the notion that Santa Claus was a rotund benefactor of infinite largess–one night I saw my mother diligently wrapping presents and storing them under our Christmas tree.”
discursive
“adjective (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point.
Many readers find it tough to read Moby Dick since the author is discursive, often cutting the action short to spend 20 pages on the history of a whale.”
disingenuous
“adjective not straightforward; giving a false appearance of frankness.
Many adults think that they can lie to children, but kids are smart and know when people are disingenuous.”
dispensation
“noun an exemption from a rule or obligation.
Since her father is a billionaire, she is given dispensation from many of the school’s policies.”
dissemble
“verb conceal one’s true motives, usually through deceit.
To get close to the senator, the assassin dissembled his intentions, convincing many people that he was a reporter for a well-known newspaper.”
“an honest, sincere person with no need to dissemble”
dissipate
“verb squander or spend money frivolously.
The recent graduates dissipated their earnings on trips to Las Vegas and cruises in Mexico.”
OR
“verb to disperse or scatter.
Kathleen’s perfume was overwhelming in the cramped apartment, but once we stepped outside the smell dissipated and we could breathe once again.”
dissolution
“noun a living full of debauchery and indulgence in sensual pleasure.
Many Roman emperors were known for their dissolution, indulging in unspeakable desires of the flesh.”
doleful
“adjective filled with or evoking sadness.
No event is more doleful than the passing of my mother; she was a shining star in my life, and it brings me great sadness to think that she is now gone.”
dolorous
“adjective showing sorrow.
Chopin’s ballades are filled with sharp changes in moods–a dolorous melody can give way to a lighthearted tempo.”
doughty
“adjective brave; bold; courageous.
I enjoy films in which a doughty group comes together to battle a force of evil.”
dovetail
“verb fit together tightly, as if by means of a interlocking joint.
Although Darwin’s evolution and Mendel’s genetics were developed in isolation from one another, they dovetail each other very well.”
duplicity
“noun deceitfulness, pretending to want one thing but interested in something else.
A life of espionage is one of duplicity: an agent must pretend to be a totally different person than who she or he actually is.”
ebullient
“adjective joyously unrestrained.
Can you blame him for his ebullient mood? He just graduated from medical school.”
effervescent
adjective marked by high spirits or excitement.
After the sales result, the manager was in an effervescent mood, letting several employees leave work early that day.
effrontery
“noun audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to.
The skateboarders acted with effrontery, skating through the church grounds and spray-painting signs warning trespassers.”
elegiac
“adjective expressing sorrow.
Few can listen to the elegiac opening bars of the Moonlight sonata without feeling the urge to cry.”
embryonic
“adjective in an early stage of development.
The Board of Directors is hoping to launch a new product soon, but planning for the Z7 is in an embryonic stages.”
empiricism
“noun any method that derives knowledge from experience, used in experimental science as a way to gain insight and knowledge.
Empiricism does not always lead to knowledge; an experience or experiment may raise more questions than it answers.”
enamor
“verb attraction or feeling of love.
She is completely enamored with Justin Bieber, and goes to all his concerts on the East coast.”
