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Vocab Quiz #1
Units 1-3
47
Writing
12th Grade
09/13/2007

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Term
acquisitive
Definition
(adj.) able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property. greedy, grasping, avaricious, retentive.
Term
arrogate
Definition
(v.) to claim or take without right. expropiate, ursurp, commandeer.
Term
banal
Definition
(adj.) hackneyed, trite, commonplace, stale, insipid.
Term
belabor
Definition
(v.) to work on excessively; to thrash soundly. overwork.

-His tendency to belabor the small points often made him miss the big picture.
Term
carping
Definition
(adj.) tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; (n.) petty, nagging criticism.
Term
congeal
Definition
(v.) to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid
Term
emulate
Definition
(v.) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
Term
encomium
Definition
(n.) a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute. panegyric, eulogy, commendation
Term
eschew
Definition
(v.) to avoid, shun, keep away from. abstain from, steer clear of, forgo
Term
germane
Definition
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting, pertinent.
Term
germane
Definition
(adj.) relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting, pertinent.
Term
insatiable
Definition
(adj.) so great or demanding as not to be satisfied. unquenchable, ravenous, voracious.

-People with an insatiable appetite for gossip often do not have compelling stories of their own.
Term
intransigent
Definition
(adj.) refusing to compromise, irreconcialable, uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate.
Term
invidious
Definition
(adj.) offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitteress and resentment

-Teachers should avoid making invidious comparisons bwtween their students.
Term
largesse
Definition
(n.) generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions.

-the university was the fortunate beneficiaty of the largesse of many of its graduates.
Term
reconnaissance
Definition
(n.) a survery made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination.
Term
substantiate
Definition
(v.) to establish by evidencce, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to.

-The prospector was unable to suvstantiate his claim to the land where the gold was found.
Term
taciturn
Definition
(adj.) habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little.
Term
temporize
Definition
(v.) to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise.
Term
tenable
Definition
(adj.) capable of being held or defended.

-The reserchers put forth a tenable theory, but their conclusions would be reviewed carefully by others.
Term
animadversion
Definition
(n.) a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

-The inexperienced filmmaker was disheartened by the animadversion of the film critic.
Term
brackish
Definition
(adj.) having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink
Term
celerity
Definition
(n.) swiftnes, rapidity of motion or action
Term
gambit
Definition
(n.) in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type.
Term
halcyon
Definition
(n.) a legendary bird identified with the kingfisher; (adj.) of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden; prosperous, affluent.
Term
histrionic
Definition
(adj.) pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic.
Term
incendiary
Definition
(adj.) deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; (n.) one who deliverately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife.
Term
maelstrom
Definition
(n.) a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction.

-Many innocent people caught in the maelstrom of the revolution lost their lives and property.
Term
myopic
Definition
(adj.) nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment.
Term
overt
Definition
(adj.) open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized.
Term
pejorative
Definition
(adj.) tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling.
Term
propriety
Definition
(n.) the state of being proper, appropriateness; (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptable.

-The social worker questioned the propriety of the police's request to see confidential records.
Term
sacrilege
Definition
(n.) improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred.

-The anthopologist was accused of committing a sacrilege when she disturbed an ancient burial ground.
Term
summarily
Definition
(adv.) without delay or formality; briefly, concisely, promptly, abruptly, peremptorily.

-As soon as there was evidence or criminal wrongdoing, the official was summarily ousted from his post.
Term
suppliant
Definition
(adj.) asking humbly and earnestly; (n.) one who makes a request humbly and earnestly, a petitioner, suitor.

-He made a suppliant address to the parole board.
-Stranded in the deserted ciry of Moscow, Napoleon had to turn to the Czar not as a conqueror but as a suppliant.
Term
decry
Definition
(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate. denounce, censure, devalue
Term
dissemble
Definition
(v.) to disguise or conceal, deliberately give a false impression. dissimulate, mask, feign.

-The young man was unable to dissemble his feelings and admitted to having committed the crime.
Term
eulogy
Definition
(n.) a formal statement of commendation; high praise. tribute, testimonial, encomium.
Term
evince
Definition
(v.) to display clearly, to make evident, to provoke. EXHIBIT, manifest, occasion.

-The crown did not evince any signs of panic but moved in an orderly fashion to the nearest exits.
Term
feckless
Definition
(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable. feeble, helpless, incompetent.

-Although a feckless youth, he eventually matured into a hard-working and responsible citizen.
Term
murky
Definition
(adj.) dark and gloomy, obscure; lacking in clarity and precision.
Term
nefarious
Definition
(adj.) wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards
Term
piquant
Definition
(adj.) stimulating to th etaste OR MIND; spicy, pungent; appealingly provocative.
Term
propinquity
Definition
(n.) nearness in place or time; kinship. proximity, similarity.

-The propinquity of the two cities has created a greater metropolitan area that in effect is one city.
Term
unwonted
Definition
(adj.) not usual or expected; not in character. unusual, uncommon, unexpected, atypical.
Term
verbiage
Definition
(n.) language that is too wordy or inflated in proportion to the sense or content, wordiness; a manner of expression. verbosity.

-The contract was full of meaningless verbiage that seemed designed to confuse the lay person.
Term
verdant
Definition
(adj.) green in tint or color; immature in experience or judgement.
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