SAT Vocab Flashcards
the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval (think: approve)
approbation
to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench (think: usage)
assuage
a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose
coalition
decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay (think: decrease)
decadence
to draw forth
elicit
to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision to earnest reasoning
expostulate
used so often as to lack freshness or originality
hackneyed
a gap, opening, break
hiatus
a hint, indirect suggestion, reference
innuendo
to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement (think: interrupt)
intercede
wearied, worn-out, dulled
jaded
causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
lurid
worthy, deserving recognition and praise
meritorious
peevish, annoyed by trifles
petulant
special right or privilege
prerogative
pertaining to an outlying area; local (think: province)
provincial
to make a pretense of, imitiate
simulate
to rise above or beyond, exceed
transcend
shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade (think: certain Harry Potter character)
umbrage
excessively smooth or smug; trying hard to impress
unctuous
to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
ameliorate
poise, assurance, great self-confidence
aplomb
pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas
bombastic
without experience; immature, not fully deveolped; lacking sophistication and poise; w/o feathers
callow
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; to waste or fritter away foolishly
drivel
a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
epitome
to urge strongly, advise earnestly
exhort
by virtue of holding a certain office
ex officio
to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
infringe
to make oneself agreeable and thus favor or acceptance by others
ingratiate
one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder
interloper
belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part
intrinsic
to make a violent attack in words; express strong disapproval
inveigh
weariness of body or mind; lack of energy (think: lazy attitude)
lassitude
period of one thousand years; a period of great joy
millenium
n: mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view, not detectable by ordinary means
v: matters involving the supernatural
occult
to spread through, penetrate, soak through
permeate
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 process
precipitate
strict, severe, rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste
stringent
v: to think or believe without certain supporting evidence to conjecture or guess
n: likely idea that lacks definite proof
surmise
to have an intense dislike or hatred for
abominate
the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contract with those of another; the resultant blend (think: culture)
acculturation
resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential
adventitious
to assign or refer to, attribute
ascribe
roundabout, not direct
circuitous
to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress (think: “co” then misery)
commiserate
to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit
enjoin
to make easy, cause to progress faster
expedite
to make amends, make up for; to avert
expiate
n: a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence
v: to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action
ferment
resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental
inadvertent
existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously
nominal
not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no
noncommittal
to steal something that has been given into one’s trust; to take improrperly for one’s own use
peculate
a natural or habitual inclination or tendency
proclivity
composure or coolness, especially in trying to circumstance
sangfroid
resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government (think: sedate)
seditious
thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness of slight importance or significance
tenuous
bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting
vitriolic
to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end
wheedle
courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
affable
to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
aggrandize
shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity or cohesion
amorphous
that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
aura
n: illegal traffic, smuggled goods
adj: illegal, prohibited
contraband
scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
erudite
adj: thin, light, delicate, unsubstantial
n: a very thin, light cloth
gossamer
find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply
infer
incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
inscrutable
relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
insular
incapable of being changed or called back
irrevocable
natural inclination or predilection toward
propensity
peevish, complaining, fretful
querulous
to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
remonstrate
to disown, reject, deny the validity of
repudiate
able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
resilient
to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
reverberate
coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (esp. in language), foul-mouthed
scurrilous
persistent, showing industry and determination
sedulous
thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable
sleazy
a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
amnesty
self-government, political control
autonomy
self-evident, expressing a university accepted principle or rule
axiomatic
to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely
blazon
a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
caveat
fair, just, embodying principle of justice
equitable
to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort
extricate
to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
filch
to mock, treat with contempt
flout
fractious
tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
a rule of conduct or action
precept
beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
salutary
bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
scathing
v: to whip, punish severly
n: a cause of affliction or suffering; a source or severe punishment or criticism
scourge
funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
sepulchral
adj: tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy
n: something that induces sleep
soporific
extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical
straitlaced
adj: lasting only a short time, fleeting
n: one who stays only a short time
transient
not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
unweildy
dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
vapid
abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
anomalous
a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slander or defaming
aspersion
extremely strange, unsual, atypical
bizarre
abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
brusque
to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
cajole
to punish severely; to criticize severely
castigate
to plan with ingenuity, invert, to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
contrive
a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
demagogue
to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking
disabuse
weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
ennui
n: a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restrains
v: to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent
fetter
very wicked, offensive, hteful
heinous
not subject to change, constant
immutable
n: one who rebels or rises against authority
adj: rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on
insurgent
a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far excess in reality
megalomania
a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
sinecure
stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud
surreptitious
to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
transgress
to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
transmute
performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
vicarious
