Vocabulary 6

Accolade- any award, honor, or laudatory notice

The play received accolades from the press.

 Acerbity- sourness, with roughness or astringency of taste
The apple had a certain Acerbity to it.

 Attrition- a wearing down or weakening of resistance, especially as a result of continuous pressure or harassment

The enemy surrounded the town and conducted a war of attrition.  

 Bromide- a person who is platitudinous and boring.

Although brilliant in his intellect Dr. John. D. Stulenworth was quite bromide in his speeches.

 Chauvinist- a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic, especially one devoted to military glory.

Most of the southerners are chauvinist to the USA.

 Chronic- constant; habitual; inveterate

Jimmy was dying of a chronic illness.

 Expound- to set forth or state in detail

I had to expound my theories in my dissertation.

 Factionalism- self-interested; partisan

 Factional interests had obstructed justice.

 Immaculate- free from fault or flaw; free from errors:

He wrote an immaculate text.

 Imprecation- a curse; malediction.

Some feel that they are plagued by imprecation.

 Ineluctable- incapable of being evaded; inescapable

An ineluctable destiny.

 Mercurial- changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic

If you have mercurial nature you many have many friends.

 Palliate- to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.

Many try the palliate the load on the world.

 Protocol- the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.

In life we have to follow a certain protocol in all our actions.

 Resplendent- shining brilliantly; gleaming; splendid:

Troops resplendent in white uniforms.

 Stigmatize- to set some mark of disgrace or infamy upon

The crime of the father stigmatized the whole family.

 Sub Rosa- confidentially; secretly; privately.

The worst thing you have ever heard is sub rosa.

 Vainglory- excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements, abilities, etc.; boastful vanity.

 Vestige- a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence:

A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.

 Volition- the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing

She left of her own volition.

Obsequious- characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning

After the butler had finished his tasks he gave an obsequious bow.

Beatitude- supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.

The beatitude that was bestowed upon jerry was above reproach.

Bete noire- a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads 

Homework is the bete noire of most student’s day.

Bode- to be an omen of; portend

The news bodes evil days for him.

Dank- unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly

We kept our wine in a dank cellar.

Ecumenical- general; universal.

I was giving my speech in an ecumenical fashion.

Fervid- heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc.

Phil Pulaski was a fervid orator.

Fetid- having an offensive odor; stinking.

My dog has a horrible fetid to him.

Gargantuan- gigantic; enormous; colossal

A gargantuan task.

Heyday- the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime

The heyday of the vaudeville stars.

Incubus- something that weighs upon or oppresses one like a nightmare.

The incubus took its toll on my mental health.

Infrastructure- the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.

The USA infrastructure is in desperate need of upgrades.

Inveigle- to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements

To inveigle a person into playing bridge.

Kudos- honor; glory; acclaim

He received kudos from everyone on his performance.

Lagniappe- an unexpected or indirect benefit.

His tip on the table was a lagniappe.

Prolix- extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.

The speech that was written needed to be edited because it was written in too much of a prolix fashion.

Protégé- a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.

Troy had become my protégé after years of staying silent.

Prototype- the original or model on which something is based or formed.

Before companies release a product they come up with a prototype.

Sycophant- a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

He was very sycophant in order to draw a complement from the group.

Tautology- an instance of such repetition.

I, I, I.

Truckle- to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely

Don't truckle to unreasonable demands.