Word List 04

Group 1

Ambivalence
lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided

Cantankerous
bad-tempered; quarrelsome

Derogatory
uncomplimentary

Exemplify
to serve as a good example

Impecunious
having no money

Lucid
clear

Ornate
highly decorated

Precipice
steep slope

Salubrious
health-giving

Truant
shirker; someone absent without permission

Group 2

Ambulatory
able to walk around (used of hospital patients)

Capacious
spacious

Desecrate
to damage or pollute a holy place

Exhaustive
complete and thorough

Impious
wicked; profane

Ludicrous
ridiculous; silly

Orthodox
conventional

Precipitous
done in a hurry

Salutary
something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial

Truncate
cut short

Group 3

Ameliorate
make better

Capitulate
surrender; give in to

Desecration
spoiling something holy

Exonerates
acquits; absolves; removes blame

Impoverished
destitute; poor

Lukewarm
1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold

Ossify
1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid

Preclude
prevent or make impossible

Sanctimonious
hypocritically holy

Tumult
uproar; noise

Group 4

Amelioration
improvement

Carping
constant criticism

Desist
stop; discontinue; cease

Exorcism
getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons)

Impromptu
unrehearsed; spontaneous

Lummox
clumsy person

Ostentatious
showy

Precocious
developing early

Sanction
give approval to

Turpitude
depravity

Group 5

Amiable
friendly

Cartographer
person who makes maps

Despondent
having no hope; miserable

Expatriate
refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country

Inadvertent
not intentional

Luscious
juicy; moist; succulent

Oust
push out of a position

Predecessor
one who came before

Sanguinary
bloodthirsty; bloody

Tyro
novice; beginner

Group 6

Amity
friendship

Castigate
scold strongly

Destitution
hardship; poverty; misery

Expedient
convenient; practical

Incantation
chant; invocation; prayer

Lynch
assassinate; kill; illegal hanging

Overt
obvious; not hidden

Predicament
dilemma; difficult situation

Sanguine
optimistic; cheerful

Ubiquitous
found everywhere; omnipresent

Group 7

Amorphous
lacking in shape

Catharsis
purging of pent-up emotions

Deter
put off; prevent

Expedite
make faster

Incarceration
putting in prison

Machinations
plots and plans

Overwrought
worked up; in an emotional state

Preeminent
famous; outstanding

Sardonic
mocking

Unalloyed
undiluted; total

Group 8

Analgesic
medicine to combat pain

Caucus
type of private political meeting

Deteriorate
worsen; decline

Exposition
clear explanation

Incessant
without stopping

Maelstrom
whirlpool; storm in the ocean

Palatable
good to eat; agreeable

Prerogative
right or privilege

Savant
person with knowledge

Unctuous
oily; using excessive flattery

Group 9

Analogous
comparable

Caustic
burning

Detrimental
harmful

Extol
praise

Incipient
just beginning

Magnanimous
generous; big-hearted

Palisade
fence made of posts

Prescient
having fore-knowledge

Scale
to climb

Undermined
damaged; attacked

Group 10

Anarchy
chaos; lack of government

Cavalcade
procession of vehicles

Devoured
greedily eaten/consumed

Extradite
deport from one country back to the home country

Inclination
tendency; a leaning toward

Magnate
powerful businessman

Palliative
a remedy that improves but doesn't cure

Presentiment
a feeling that something might happen

Scapegoat
person on whom blame is placed for faults of others

Underscore
emphasize