Vocab List 9 Flashcards
abridge
to shorten, to condense
abrogate
to abolish; to nullify
adroit
skillful; dexterous
adulation
wild admiration
allot
to allocate, assign, or apportion
alloy
combination of metals
anthology
a collection, especially of literary works
anthropomorphic
ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman objects
aptitude
natural ability
arbiter
judge
assimilate
to absorb; to become similar
assuage
to relieve, to soothe
ballyhoo
sensational advertising or promotion; uproar
balm
something that heals or soothes
blasphemy
irreverent
blatant
offensively noisy
byzantine
extremely intricate in structure
cabal
a group of conspirators; a clique
caucus
a political meeting
caustic
corrosive
citadel
a fortress defending a city; a bulwark
civil
polite
complacent
self-satisfied
complement
to complete
conjecture
to guess
conjugal
having to do with marriage
convivial
festive
convolution
a twist or turn
cull
to pick out from among many; to select; to collect
culminate
to climax; to reach full effect
deign
to think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity
deity
god or goddess
despot
absolute ruler
destitute
extremely poor
disinterested
not taking sides
dismal
dreary; causing gloom; causing dread
domestic
of the household
dormant
inactive
elliptical
oval; obscure
elocution
the art of public speaking
enumerate
to name one by one; to list
envision
to imagine; to foresee
exemplify
to illustrate by example
exempt
not subject to; excused
facet
any of the flat, polished surfaces of a cut gem; aspect
facetious
humorous
flout
to disregard
fodder
coarse food for livestock; raw material
garner
gather
garrulous
excessively talkative
heresy
strongly contrary belief
hermetic
airtight
imperative
completely necessary; vitally important
imperial
like an emperor or an empire
incumbent
currently holding an office; obligatory
incursion
a hostile invasion; a raid
innuendo
an insinuation; a sly hint
inordinate
excessive; unreasonable
inundate
to flood
inveterate
habitual; deeply rooted
layman
a nonprofessional; a person who is not a member of the clergy
legacy
bequest
marshal
to arrange in order
martial
warlike
monolithic
massive and unyielding
moratorium
a suspension of activity; a period of delay
nullify
to render or declare legally void or inoperative
obdurate
stubborn and insensitive
oxymoron
a figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are used together
pacify
to calm someone down
patrimony
an inheritance, especially from a father; a legacy
patronize
to treat as an inferior
pivotal
crucial
placate
to pacify
predecessor
someone or something that precedes in time
predicament
a dangerous or unpleasant situation; a dilemma
profuse
flowing (abundant); extravagant
progeny
a descendent or offspring, as a child, plant, or animal
punitive
inflicting a punishment
purblind
dim-sighted; practically blind; lacking understanding or imagination
rebut
to contradict
recalcitrant
stubbornly defiant
replicate
to reproduce exactly; to duplicate; to repeat
repose
rest; tranquility; relaxation
rogue
scoundrel
rout
a defeat attended by disorderly flight
self-made
having succeeded in life without help from others
sensory
having to do with senses
specious
deceptively plausible
specious
deceptive; misleading; not genuine
subsidize
to provide financial aid; to make a financial contribution
substantiate
to prove; to verify; to confirm
tangential
not deeply relevant
tangible
touchable
transfix
to cause to stand motionless with awe or amazement
transgress
to violate
vagary
whim; unpredictable action; wild notion
vanquish
to conquer; to overpower
vogue
fashion; style
volatile
quick to evaporate
