Vocabulary #1

1. Adumbrate: to represent in outline; to indicate faintly
The teacher adumbrated the syllabus to the class.

2. Apotheosis: the highest point of development of something.
The apotheosis of the school year was graduation.
3. Ascetic: practicing service of self discipline 
The ascetic lifestyle of the family cause the youngest to be a rebel.

4. Bauble: cheap, ornament; trinket
The yard sale consist of many old baubles.


5. Beguile: enchant; charm; take away by cheating or flattery
The little sister beguiled her older brother to give her the last cookie.

6. Burgeon: grow quickly; flourish
The number of ants burgeoned in the kitchen as the rain started coming in.

7. Complement: to complete; to make perfect; full quantity
Her shoes complemented her outfit.
8. Contumacious: stubborn ; willfully disobedient
All the high schoolers were contumacious when they had to return to school after summer.

9. Curmudgeon: a bad-tempered; surly person
The old man was such a curmudgeon, that no one ever want to bother him.
10. Didactic: instructive; inclined to teach
Her mothers didactic methods always made more sense. 

11. Disingenuous: insincere; lacking in candor
His disingenuous personality made me seem arrogant and boring.
12. Exculpate: to free from blame; vindicate, innocentOnce the results came in, the suspect was exculpated and sent home. 

13. Faux pas: an embarrassing or tackless act
Falling on stage was a faux pas she will never forget. 

14. Fulminate: to issue denunciations; to pronounce with condemnation
Martin Luther King Jr. fulminated against slavery.

15. Fustian: inflated language in writing; worthless; cheap; twilled cloth with a short nap, usually dipped in dark colored dye

16. Hauteur: arrogance; disdainful pride
At first the man had this hauteur demeanor, but he turned to be a very respectful man.
17. Inhibit: to hinder; to prevent; to restrain
Waking up late inhibited Danny from getting a good parking spot.

18. Jeremiad: prolonged lamentation; mournful complaint, list of woes
19. Opportunist: the policy of adapting actions and decisions; someone who practices opportunism
Her goal is to become more of an opportunist, rather than focus on the negative.

20. Unconscionable: not right or reasonable
Lying to your parents is unconscionable.