Vocab List 11 Flashcards
abstinent
voluntarily avoiding
abstract
theoretical; not physical
adventitious
accidental; irrelevant
adverse
unfavorable
altercation
a heated fight, argument, or quarrel
altruism
generosity, selflessness
antiquity
ancientness; ancient times
antithesis
direct opposite
arcane
mysterious
archaic
extremely old, ancient
asylum
a place of safety; refuge; a mental hospital or similar institution
atone
to make amends
bane
poison; cause of harm
banter
an exchange of good-humored or mildly teasing remarks
blithe
carefree, cheerful
bluster
to be loud or noisy
cadence
rhythm; lilt; intonation
cajole
to persuade deceptively
celilbacy
abstinence from sex
censure
to condemn severly
cleave
to cling; to split
clemency
mercy
composed
calm; tranquil
comprehensive
covering everything
connoisseur
expert
consecrate
to make sacred
cordial
gracious; warm; sincere
corollary
a natural consequence
curmudgeon
a difficult, bad-tempered person
cursory
quick and not thorough; hasty; superficial
delectable
delightful; delicious
deleterious
harmful
detrimental
disturbing
devout
deeply religious; fervent
disparage
to belittle
disparate
incompatible
downcast
dejected; depressed
downplay
to minimize; to represent as insignificant; to play down
emanate
to flow out
emancipate
to liberate; to free from bondage or restraint
epigram
brief, witty saying
epigraph
inscription on a grave
exhume
to dig (something buried esp. a human body) out of the earth
exigency
emergency
fallacy
a false notion or belief; a misconception
farcical
absurd; ludicrous; ridiculous
foment
to stir up
foray
a quick raid or attack; an initial venture
genesis
origin; creation; beginning
genocide
the extermination of a notional, racial, or religious group
hiatus
break
hierarchy
pecking order
impetuous
rash; over impulsive; headlong
inplement
to carry out a plan
indigenous
native
indigent
poor
insidious
treacherous; sneaky
insinuate
to hint
invoke
to call for with earnest desire
irascible
irritable
liaison
connection; association; alliance; secret love affair
libel
spoken injurious falsehood
matriculate
to enroll
maudlin
overly sentimental
morose
gloomy; sullen
mortify
to humiliate
objective
unbiased; unprejudiced
oblique
indirect; at an angle
palliate
to alleviate
pallor
paleness; whiteness
peculiar
unusual; bizarre; individual; belonging to a particular region
pedantic
boringly scholarly or academic
platitude
a trite remark
platonic
nonsexual; purely spiritual
predominant
most important; dominant; having power over others
preeminent
outstanding
prolific
abundantly productive
promulgate
to proclaim
putative
commonly accepted; reputed
quaint
pleasantly old-fashioned; picturesque
reciprocal
mutual
reclaim
to claim again
reprimand
stern reproof; official rebuke
reprisal
act of revenge
ruminate
to contemplate
rustic
rural
sententious
preachy; pompous; excessively moralizing; self-righteous
sentient
conscious
sporadic
stopping and starting
spurious
false
subtle
not obvious
subversive
corrupting
tedium
dullness; monotony; boredom
teem
to abound or swarm
trauma
severe shock or distress; a violent wound; a wrenching experience
travesty
a grotesque or shameful imitation; a mockery; a perversion
venal
corrupt
veneer
facade; coating; outward appearance
voluptuous
pleasant to the senses; luxurious; pleasure-seeking; extra full or shapely
voracious
having a huge appetite; ravenously
