level h units 1-3

adjunct

something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic; (adj.) added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity

bellwether

the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends

caterwaul

to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel; a harsh or noisy cry; a racket

chimerical

absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible

effete

lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out-of-date

fait accompli

an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action

hidebound

narrow-minded and rigid especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative

hierarchy

any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc.

laissez-faire

a philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference, especially with individual freedom of choice and action

liturgy

a religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship

morass

a path of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand

noisome

offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious

oblivious

forgetful; unaware

poltroon

a base coward

proselyte

a convert; a disciple

quasi

resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely

raillery

good-humored ridicule; teasing

ribald

irreverntly mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language

supine

lying flat on one’s back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive

vignette

a short description or sketch'; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter

aegis

protection; patronage; sponsorship

apprise

to inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice

bibulous

fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent

claque

a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat

deracinate

to pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate'; to eliminate all traces of

exegesis

an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of text)

indigenous

originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent

lachrymose

given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious

lexicon

a dictionary of a language; the special vocab of a person, group, or subject; a compenium

melee

a confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling

microcosm

a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system

minuscule

very small, tiny; a lowercase letter

obfuscate

to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder

paternalism

the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children

polarize

to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern

purview

the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute

sanguine

having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook

solecism

a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake

vassal

a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant; subservient

verisimilitude

the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable

ancillary

subordinate or supplementary

bowdlerize

to remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc)

condescend

to come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner

cozen

to trick; to cheat or swindle

enclave

an enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character

forte

a person’s strong point; what a person does best

gratis

free; without charge

icon

a representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or a picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion

interstice

a small, narrow, space between things or parts of things

macrocosm

the universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something

mountebank

a trickster or swindler; a charlatan

paean

a strong praise, joy, or triumph

persiflage

lighthearted joking, talk, or writing

plethora

overfullness; superabundance; superfluidity

pragmatic

concerned with practical considerations or values; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one’s opinions

quizzical

puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal

rapacity

inordinate greed; the disposition to obatain one’s desires by force, extortion, or plunder

schism

a formal split within a religious organization; any devision or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions

therapeutic

having the power to heal or cure; beneficial

virtuoso

a brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique; masterly or brilliant