English Finals Vocab 2009

Front 1

Eminent

Back 1

–adjective
1. high in station, rank, or repute; prominent; distinguished
2. conspicuous, signal, or noteworthy
3. lofty; high
4. prominent; projecting; protruding

Front 2

Intrepid

Back 2

–adjective
resolutely fearless; dauntless

Front 3

Laconic

Back 3

–adjective
using few words; expressing much in few words; concise

Front 4

Nuance

Back 4

-noun
1. a subtle difference or distinction in expression, meaning, response, etc.
2. a very slight difference or variation in color or tone.

Front 5

Prognosticate

Back 5

–verb (used with object)
1. to forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy.
2. to foretoken; presage
–verb (used without object)
3. to make a forecast; prophesy.

Front 6

Replete

Back 6

-adjective
1. abundantly supplied or provided; filled (usually fol. by with): a speech replete with sentimentality.
2. stuffed or gorged with food and drink.
3. complete

Front 7

Voracious

Back 7

–adjective
1. craving or consuming large quantities of food
2. exceedingly eager or avid

Front 8

Caustic

Back 8

–adjective
1. capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.
2. severely critical or sarcastic.

Front 9

Incipient

Back 9

–adjective
beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stag

Front 10

Incongruous

Back 10

–adjective
1. out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming behavior.

Front 11

Mundane

Back 11

–adjective
1. of or pertaining to this world or earth as contrasted with heaven; worldly; earthly.
2. common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative.
3. of or pertaining to the world, universe, or earth.

Front 12

Plethora

Back 12

–noun
1. overabundance; excess

Front 13

Wrest

Back 13

–verb (used with object)
1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.
2. to take away by force.
3. to get by effort.
4. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench.
–noun
5. a wresting; twist or wrench.
6. a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instruments, as the harp or piano, by turning the pins to which the strings are fastened.

Front 14

Acrimonious

Back 14

–adjective
caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.

Front 15

Alacrity

Back 15

–noun
1. cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness.
2. liveliness; briskness.

Front 16

Belligerent

Back 16

–adjective
1. warlike; given to waging war.
2. of warlike character; aggressively hostile.
3. waging war; engaged in war.
4. pertaining to war or to those engaged in war.
–noun
5. a state or nation at war.
6. a member of the military forces of such a state.

Front 17

Duplicity

Back 17

–noun
1. deceitfulness in speech or conduct; speaking or acting in two different ways concerning the same matter with intent to deceive; double-dealing.
2. a twofold or double state or quality.

Front 18

Scurrilous

Back 18

–adjective
1. grossly or obscenely abusive.
2. characterized by or using low buffoonery; coarsely jocular or derisive

Front 19

Solace

Back 19

–noun
1. comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort.
2. something that gives comfort, consolation, or relief.
–verb (used with object)
3. to comfort, console, or cheer (a person, oneself, the heart, etc.).
4. to alleviate or relieve (sorrow, distress, etc.).

Front 20

Chagrin

Back 20

–noun
1. a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.
–verb (used with object)
2. to vex by disappointment or humiliation

Front 21

Duress

Back 21

–noun
1. compulsion by threat or force; coercion; constraint.
2. Law: such constraint or coercion as will render void a contract or other legal act entered or performed under its influence.
3. forcible restraint, esp. imprisonment.

Front 22

Egregious

Back 22

–adjective
1. extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.

Front 23

Eschew

Back 23

–verb (used with object)
to abstain or keep away from; shun; avoid.

Front 24

Paucity

Back 24

–noun
1. smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness.
2. smallness or insufficiency of number; fewness.

Front 25

Pernicious

Back 25

–adjective
1. causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful.
2. deadly; fatal.

Front 26

Cognizant

Back 26

–adjective
showing awareness.

Front 27

Exacerbate

Back 27

–verb (used with object), -bat⋅ed, -bat⋅ing.
1. to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of; aggravate.
2. to embitter the feelings of; irritate; exasperate.

Front 28

Implacable

Back 28

–adjective
not to be appeased, mollified, or pacified; inexorable.

Front 29

Precocious

Back 29

–adjective
1. unusually advanced or mature in development, esp. mental development: a precocious child.
2. prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.
3. of or pertaining to premature development.

Front 30

Voluble

Back 30

–adjective
characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words; fluent; glib; talkative.

Front 31

emaciated

Back 31

-adjective
very thin or bony, esp. from disease, hunger, or cold

Front 32

amicable

Back 32

–adjective
characterized by or showing goodwill; friendly; peaceable

Front 33

astute

Back 33

–adjective
1. of keen penetration or discernment; sagacious.
2. clever; cunning; ingenious; shrewd

Front 34

harbinger

Back 34

–noun
1. a person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; herald.
2. anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign.
3. a person sent in advance of troops, a royal train, etc., to provide or secure lodgings and other accommodations.
–verb (used with object)
4. to herald the coming of.

Front 35

nefarious

Back 35

–adjective
extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous.

Front 36

respite

Back 36

–noun
a delay or cessation for a time.
-verb
to relieve temporarily, give relief from.

Front 37

ubiquitous

Back 37

–adjective
existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent.

Front 38

corroborate

Back 38

–verb (used with object)
1. to make more certain; confirm.

Front 39

imminent

Back 39

–adjective
1. likely to occur at any moment; impending.
2. projecting or leaning forward; overhanging.

Front 40

inclement

Back 40

–adjective
1. severe, rough, or harsh; stormy.
2. not kind or merciful.

Front 41

inundate

Back 41

–verb (used with object)
1. to flood; cover or overspread with water; deluge.
2. to overwhelm.

Front 42

peruse

Back 42

–verb (used with object)
1. to read through with thoroughness or care: to peruse a report.
2. to read.
3. to survey or examine in detail.

Front 43

salient

Back 43

–adjective
1. prominent or conspicuous: salient traits.
2. projecting or pointing outward: a salient angle.
3. leaping or jumping.

Front 44

expunge

Back 44

–verb (used with object)
1. to strike or blot out; erase; obliterate.
2. to efface; wipe out or destroy.

Front 45

fractious

Back 45

–adjective
1. refractory or unruly: a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness.
2. readily angered; peevish; irritable; quarrelsome.

Front 46

ilk

Back 46

–noun
1. family, class, or kind.

Front 47

obviate

Back 47

–verb (used with object)
to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary.

Front 48

ostentatious

Back 48

–adjective
1. characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others.
2. (of actions, manner, qualities exhibited, etc.) intended to attract notice.

Front 49

poignant

Back 49

–adjective
1. keenly distressing to the feelings.
2. keen or strong in mental appeal.
3. affecting or moving the emotions.

Front 50

aspire

Back 50

–verb (used without object)
1. to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, esp. for something great or of high value.

Front 51

inveigh

Back 51

–verb (used without object)
to protest strongly or attack vehemently with words.

Front 52

nettle

Back 52

–verb (used with object)
to irritate, annoy, or provoke.

Front 53

raze

Back 53

–verb (used with object)
1. to tear down; demolish; level to the ground.
2. to shave or scrape off.

Front 54

remuneration

Back 54

-noun
something that pays or gives a reward.

Front 55

timorous

Back 55

–adjective
1. full of fear; fearful.
2. subject to fear; timid.
3. characterized by or indicating fea.

Front 56

emit

Back 56

–verb (used with object)
1. to send forth (liquid, light, heat, sound, particles, etc.); discharge.
2. to give forth or release (a sound)
3. to utter or voice, as opinions.
4. to issue, as an order or a decree.
5. to issue formally for circulation, as paper money.

Front 57

importune

Back 57

–verb
to make improper advances toward a person.
to beg for something urgently or persistently.

Front 58

incontrovertible

Back 58

-adjective
not open to question or dispute.

Front 59

incredulous

Back 59

-adjective
indicating or showing disbelief.

Front 60

propitious

Back 60

–adjective
1. presenting favorable conditions; favorable.
2. indicative of favor; auspicious.
3. favorably inclined; disposed to bestow favors or forgive.

Front 61

viable

Back 61

-adjective.
capable of living, suited for life.

Front 62

abrogate

Back 62

–verb (used with object)
1. to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal.
2. to put aside; put an end to.

Front 63

asperity

Back 63

–noun
1. harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony.
2. hardship; difficulty; rigor.
3. roughness of surface; unevenness.
4. something rough or harsh.

Front 64

culpable

Back 64

–adjective
deserving blame or censure; blameworthy.

Front 65

epithet

Back 65

–noun
any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality.

Front 66

preclude

Back 66

–verb (used with object)
1to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible.
2. to exclude or debar from something.

Front 67

recant

Back 67

–verb
to withdraw or disavow, retract.

Front 68

altruistic

Back 68

–adjective
unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others.

Front 69

cache

Back 69

-noun
something hidden, a hiding place.

Front 70

cursory

Back 70

–adjective
going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial.

Front 71

gregarious

Back 71

–adjective
fond of the company of others; sociable.

Front 72

interloper

Back 72

–verb (used without object)
1. to intrude into some region or field of trade without a proper license.
2. to thrust oneself into the affairs of others.

Front 73

prolific

Back 73

–adjective
1. producing offspring, young, fruit, etc., abundantly; highly fruitful.
2. producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive.

Front 74

temerity

Back 74

–noun
reckless boldness; rashness.

Front 75

enigma

Back 75

-noun
1. a puzzling situation
2. a person of puzzling or contradictory character
3. a saying, question, picture, etc. containing an unknown meaning or riddle.

Front 76

fallacious

Back 76

-adjective
deceptive, misleading, disappointing.

Front 77

fraught

Back 77

-adjective
1. marked with distress.
2. filled or laden with.

Front 78

gullible

Back 78

–adjective
easily deceived or cheated.

Front 79

impeccable

Back 79

–adjective
1. faultless; flawless.
2. not liable to sin; incapable of sin.

Front 80

manifold

Back 80

-adjective
having many kinds or parts, numerously varied.
-noun
something having many parts or features.

Front 81

coup

Back 81

-noun
a highly successful or unexpected stroke, act, or move.

Front 82

exonerate

Back 82

–verb
1. to clear, as of an accusation; free from guilt or blame.
2. to relieve, as from an obligation, duty, or task.

Front 83

fiat

Back 83

–noun
an authoritative decree, sanction, or order

Front 84

mendacious

Back 84

–adjective
1. telling lies, dishonest.
2. false or untrue.

Front 85

myriad

Back 85

–noun
a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.
–adjective
of an indefinitely great number; innumerable.

Front 86

nostalgia

Back 86

-noun
a wistful desire for one to return to a former place or time.

Front 87

urbane

Back 87

–adjective
having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities.

Front 88

disparate

Back 88

–adjective
distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar.

Front 89

lugubrious

Back 89

–adjective
mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner.

Front 90

maudlin

Back 90

–adjective
tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental, sentimental because of drunkenness.

Front 91

parsimonious

Back 91

-adjective
frugal or stingy.

Front 92

pecuniary

Back 92

-adjective
of or pertaining to money.

Front 93

puissant

Back 93

-adjective
powerful, mighty, potent.

Front 94

redolent

Back 94

-adjective
fragrant, having a pleasant odor, suggestive or reminiscent of.

Front 95

decadence

Back 95

–noun
1. the act or process of falling into an inferior condition or state; deterioration; decay.
2. moral degeneration or decay.
3. unrestrained or excessive self-indulgence.

Front 96

desultory

Back 96

-adjective
wavering, unsteady, erratic.

Front 97

metamorphosis

Back 97

-noun
any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.

Front 98

obsequious

Back 98

–adjective
1. characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference.
2. servilely compliant or deferential.
3. obedient; dutiful.

Front 99

scion

Back 99

-noun
a descendant, child, or heir.

Front 100

trenchant

Back 100

–adjective
1. incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting.
2. vigorous; effective; energetic.
3. clearly or sharply defined.