Vocabulary #1

adumbrate- to outline; give a faint indication of

•  Dr. Preston adumbrated the necessity of learn our vocabulary.

apotheosis- the highest point in the development of something, culmination or climax.

•  Overtime in the championship game was the apotheosis of the tournament.

ascetic- a person who leads an austerely simple life, especially one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.

•   The missionaries lived an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labor.

bauble- a small, showy trinket or decoration.

•  The first place metals the team received were nothing but a bauble compared to the trophy the coach was given.

beguile- charm or enchant; sometimes in a deceptive way

•  The head of the company beguiled her way to the top.

burgeon- begin to grow or increase rapidly

•  Manufacturers are keen to cash in the burgeoning demand of products such as i Phones.

complement- a thing that competes or brings to perfect

•  The blue jeans really complement the orange shirt.

contumacious- stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority

•  The student contumaciously took his phone out after he was told not to.

curmudgeon- a bad tempered person

•  Most people are curmudgeons in the morning before coffee.

didactic- intended to teach

•  The didactic selection exposed why the Amboseli Natural Reserve is no longer a woodland area.

disingenuous- not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.

•  The disingenuous man pretended that he couldn't hear the woman asking for help.

exculpate- to show that someone is not guilty of wrongdoings

•  The article exculpated the mayor.

faux pas- made in imitation; artificial

•  The knock off shoes were so faux pas.

fulminate- express vehement protest

•   The students fulminated the idea of shortening summer.

fustian- pompous or pretentious speech or writing

•   The characters at the melodrama had fustian roles.

hauteur- haughtiness of manner; disdainful pride

•  If the hauteur athlete had a better attitude he would get more playing time.

inhibit- hinder, restrain, or prevent

•  The cold weather hindered new plant growth.

jeremiad- a long mournful complaint or list of woes

•  The frustrated  renter created a jeremiad for his land lord.

opportunist- a person who exploits circumstances to gain advantage rather than being guided by consistent principles or plans.

•  The opportunist took advantage of the failing stock market.

unconscionable- not right or reasonable

•  His unconscionable behavior earned him a trip to the principals office.