Vocabulary 2nd Quarter

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate

indefatigable

always determined and energetic in trying to achieve something and never willing to admit defeat

imprimatur

official permission to do something that is given by a person or group in a position of power:

cynosure

a person or thing that is so good or beautiful that it attracts a lot of attention

desultory

without a clear plan or purpose and showing little effort or interest:

transmogrify

to change or alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect

al dente

cooked just enough to retain a somewhat firm texture

tartare

: (of fish or meat) served cut into very small pieces without being cooked:

alacrity

speed and eagerness

inexorable

continuing without any possibility of being stopped:

ghee

(butter with the water and milk solids removed by heating) used in South Asian cooking:

amuse-bouche

a small dish served before a meal or between the courses (parts served separately) of a meal:

halycon

characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity: GOLDEN - often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today

ignominious

: (especially of events or behavior) embarrassing because of being a complete failure: HUMILIATING, DEGRADING: deserving of shame or infamy: DESPICABLE

predilection

an established preference for something

plethora

: a very large amount of something, especially a larger amount than you need, want or can deal with

repast

to take food: FEAST

Machiavellian

using clever but often dishonest methods that deceive people so that you can win power or control

peremptory

expecting to be obeyed immediately and without any questions

quintessential

being the most typical example or most important part of something

ululate

to make a long, high cry with the mouth and tongue that changes between two or three notes, often to show emotion at a ceremony such as a wedding or funeral

balderdash

something that is stupid or not true: nonsense

insouciance

a relaxed and happy way of behaving without feeling worried or guilty

al fresco

(especially of food and eating) outside:

facile

easily accomplished or attained; used or comprehended with ease

fiduciary

relating to the responsibility to take care of someone else's money in a suitable way

nom de plume

a name used by a writer instead of the writer's real name or pen name

assiduous

showing hard work, care, and attention to detail:

compos mentis

able to think clearly and be in control of and responsible for your actions; having full control of one's mind

palaver

talking or discussion that goes on for too long and is not important

nouveau riche

people from a low social class who have recently become very rich and like to show this by spending a lot of money

aversive

making someone feel a strong dislike for something, or making them not want to do it

masthead

the title of a newspaper or magazine that is printed at the top of the front page

gauche

awkward and uncomfortable with other people, especially because young and without experience

poutine

a dish originally from Canada, made with chips (fried potatoes), cheese, and gravy (a meat sauce)

comme il faut

behaving or dressing in the right way in public according to formal rules of social behavior: PROPER

moribund

(especially of an organization or business) not active or successful

curmudgeon

an old person who is often in a bad mood

percolate

: to make coffee using a machine in which hot water passes through crushed coffee beans into a container below

aggrandize

to make someone more powerful or importan

panache

a stylish, original, and very confident way of doing things that makes people admire you

conglomerate

a company that owns several smaller businesses whose products or services are usually very different

brusque

quick and rude in manner or speech

arraignment

a legal process in a law court where someone is accused of a particular crime and asked to say if they are guilty or not

malfeasance

an example of dishonest and illegal behavior, especially by a person in authority

epiphany

a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you

persnickety

giving too much attention to small details that are not important in a way that annoys other people

plenipotentiary

a person who has the authority to represent his or her country, especially in another country

uberrimae fidei

of the utmost or perfect good faith

ultra vires

beyond one's legal power or authority

ostensibly

in a way that appears or claims to be one thing when it is really something else

proclivity

the fact that someone likes something or likes to do something, especially something considered morally wrong

confabulate

to have a conversation

saturnine

serious and unfriendly

redolent

smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make you think of something else

commingle

to mix an amount of money belonging to one person, business, or account with that of another when the money should have been kept separate

consternation

a feeling of worry, shock, or confusion

oenophile

a person who loves wine and knows a lot about it

caesura

a pause in a line of poetry, especially near the middle of a line

estoppel

a legal rule that prevents someone from changing their mind about something they have previously said is true in court

innocuous

completely harmless (=causing no harm)

paroxysm

a sudden and powerful expression of strong feeling, especially one that you cannot control

force majeure

an unexpected event such as war, crime, or an earthquake that prevents someone from doing something that is written in a legal agreement

vicissitude

one of the many changes and problems in a situation or in your life, that you have to deal with

egregious

extremely bad in a way that is very noticeable:

quisling

a person who helps an enemy that has taken control of his or her country

maudlin

self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental, especially after you have drunk a lot of alcohol

conciliate

to end a disagreement or someone's anger by acting in a friendly way or slightly changing your opinions, or to satisfy someone who disagrees with you by acting in this way

anodyne

intended to avoid causing offense or disagreement, especially by not expressing strong feelings or opinions

inveterate

someone who does something very often and cannot stop doing it

pillory

to severely criticize someone, especially in a public way

peripatetic

traveling around to different places, usually because you work in more than one place

charcuterie

cold cooked or preserved meat

liaison

communication between people or groups who work with each other

knell

(of a bell) ring solemnly, especially for a death or funeral

tangential

diverging from a previous course or line; erratic

juxtapose

: to put things that are not similar next to each other

précis

a short form of a text that gives only the important parts

chiaroscuro

the use of areas of light and darkness in a painting

complicit

involved in or knowing about a crime or some wrong activity

divertissement

a dance sequence or short ballet usually used as an interlude

chateau

a large country house: MANSION

shenanigans

tricky or questionable practices or conduct — usually used in plural

sobriquet

a descriptive name or epithet: NICKNAME