Vocab 1-8 Midterm Study List

To study for your midterm, click after the jump to get vocab lists 1-8 below.


Vocab Week One

1. august--marked by grandeur and awe
2. ancillary--subsidiary; providing assistance
3. semblance--an outward likeness in form or appearance
4. autodidact--a self-taught person
5. asinine--exhibiting poor judgment or intelligence
6. albeit--although; even though
7. conduit--a means by which something is transmitted
8. philatelist--one who collects stamps
9. indefatigable--tireless; incapable of being fatigued
10. martyr--one who suffers or sacrifices for a cause
11. indiscretion--a minor misdeed
12. osmosis--a gradual process of absorption of water
13. picayune--of very little value; trivial
14. dossier--a file of detailed information on a person or subject
15. behest--a command or urgent request

List 2 Vocab

1. beseeching, (v) to beg or request earnestly

2. blaspheme, (v) to speak with irreverence

3. brazen, (adj) overly bold

4. Hypocrite (N) an insincere person; one who pretends to have feelings he doesn’t really possess

5. Insolent (Adj) rude; haughty

6. Lugubrious (Adj) mournful

7. Mundane (Adj) ordinary, practical, or boring

8. Opulence (N) luxury; wealth; riches

9. recoil, (v) to shrink back physically or emotionally

10. unperturbed, (adj) not bothered or worried about

11. cajole (v), to fool with flattery or false promises; coax; deceive

12. candor (n), honesty; frankness

13. capacious (adj), large, roomy, spacious

14. capitulate (v), surrender or yield

15. capricious (adj) unpredictable

LIST 3 VOCAB

1.          insouciant / not concerned; free from care

2.          static / without force or movement; stationary

3.          stipulate/ to specify a required part of an agreement

4.          zeitgeist/the general spirit of the time

5.          proliferate/to grow or reproduce rapidly

6.          tenet/a belief or principle held to be true

7.          ruminate/to think deeply or repeatedly

8.          vigilant/alert at all times

9.          dissident/someone who disagrees

10.     petulant/rude in speech or behavior; peevish

11.     derivative/not the original; coming from another source

12.     accolade/an award or honor

13.     demur/to disapprove or to take exception

14.     limpid/transparent; clear

15.     invidious/tending to cause discontent, harm, or resentment; offensively unfair

List 4 Vocab

1. consternation, 64 (n) amazement or dismay that creates confusion

2. corrugated, 71 (adj) having ridges or grooves

3. meander, 80 (v) to wander aimlessly or casually without a destination

4. ambrosia, 84 (n) the food of the Greek and Roman gods

5. bona fide, 85 (adj) genuine; without fraud

6. Primordial (Adj) formed long ago, primitive

7. Revere (V) to greatly respect

8. Sublime (Adj) noble, of special or high quality

9. Turbulence (N) violent disturbance

10. Voluble (Adj) always ready to talk and discuss

11. irascible (adj) easily angered

12. irony (n) an unexpected outcome or the use of a word that is the opposite of its literal meaning

13. irresolute (adj) indecisive, unsure

14. irreverent (adj) disrespectful

15. jargon (n) specialized language used by a particular group

Voc 5 List

1. impregnable: not able to be conquered

2. xenophobia: an intense dislike or fear of strangers

3. inherent: essential

4. irreverent: disrespectful

5. subjugate: to dominate, conquer, or bring under control

6. expedite: to increase the rate of progress

7. filibuster: to attempt to block a bill from becoming law by speaking at length  against it

8. pristine: pure, completely clean and uncontaminated

9. pithy: full of meaning; concise

10. invective: an insult or abuse in speech

11. prodigal: reckless, wasteful, and extravagant

12. pliable: easily bent or flexible

13. torpid: losing motion, feeling, or power; lacking in energy

14. tenuous: not dense or thick; having little substance

15. discordant: being in disagreement

List 6 Vocab

1. Assail (V) to attack with words or force

2. benediction (n) good wishes; a blessing

3. benevolent (adj) kindhearted; good-natured; generous

4. bequeath (v) to leave behind or hand down through a will; transmit

5. blight (n) decay, disease, widespread death

6. bolster (v) to support; to reinforce

7. bristled (v) to take on a defensive or aggressive attitude

8. Copious (Adj) in large quantity; abundant

9. Distended (Adj) swollen or injured

10. eclectic (adj) composed of elements from various styles

11. Extemporaneous (Adj) done without planning; improvised 

12. incessantly, (adv) continuing without interruption

13. indignation (n) anger aroused by something unjust or unworthy

14. Insolvent (Adj) unable to pay bills, broke

15. solace (n) to give comfort in grief or misfortune

List 7 Vocab

1. circumspect: careful, heedful, attentive to all points

2. zephyr: a gentle breeze; the West Wind

3. renegade: one who deserts one side in favor of another; traitor; outlaw

4. retribution: something justly deserved, especially a punishment

5. hurtle: to move or fling swiftly and with great force

6. scourge: a person or thing that causes great trouble or misfortune

7. caustic: biting, stingingly sharp or sarcastic

8. taciturn: not fond of talking, usually silent

9. agnostic: one who believes that the existence of God can neither be proved nor disproved

10. terse: brief and to the point

11. uncanny: weird, strange, so keen or acute as to seem bizarre

12. exodus: a mass departure or emigration

13. penitent: remorseful, sorry for having done wrong

14. vindicate: to clear of suspicion or accusations

15. raillery: good-humored ridicule or teasing

List 8 Vocab

1. anguish: extreme pain, distress, or anxiety

2. ethereal: heavenly, fine, delicately beautiful

3. eulogize: to praise highly, to extol

4. euphemism: a word or phrase that’s used to make an unpleasant idea sound better

5. evasive: tending to avoid giving direct answers

6. industrious: constantly active or occupied

7. Myriad: a large number, many

8. quiver: to shake with a trembling motion

9. Rotund: round

10. sauntered: to walk around leisurely; to stroll

11. Subtle: hard to see or understand; elusive

12. tangent: a line that touches a curve at just one point; or a comment that is off the main topic

13. tantamount: equal, comparable

14. temper: bring into balance; moderate

15. Tyranny: government based on absolute power or cruelty