Sadlier Oxford Units 4 - 6

abscond

to run off and hide, someone who did something wrong

access

admittance, entry

anarchy

a lack of goverment

arduous

hard to do, difficult, fatiguing

auspicious

fortunate, promising

prototype

an original model on which later versions are patterned

daunt

overcome with fear, dismay, cow

disentangle

to free from tangles/complications, unravel, unwind

fated

destined, doomed, determined in advance by destiny/fortune

hoodwinked

deceive, mislead by a trick, dupe

incinerate

to burn to ashes, burn up, cremate

intrepid

to be brave, fearless

larceny

stealing, robbery, theft

pliant

bending easily, flexible, elastic

pompous

overly self important, pretentious, bombastic

precipice

a very steep cliff, brink, edge

rectify

to make right, correct

reprieve

stay, postpone, temporary relief

revile

to attack with words, call bad names, denounce

inanimate

not having life; without energy or spirit

accomplice

a person who takes part in a crime

annihilate

to destroy completely

arbitrary

unreasonable based on ones own wishes or whim without regard for reason or fairness

brazen

made of brass shameless impudent

catalyst

a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction any agent that causes change

exodus

a large scale departure or flight

facilitate

to make easier assist

incorrigible

not able to be corrected beyond control

latent

hidden present but not realized

militant

given to fighting active and aggressive in support of a cause activist

morose

having a gloomy or sullen manner not friendly or sociable

opaque

not letting light through not clear or lucid dense stupid

paramount

chief in importance above all others

prattle

to talk in an aimless foolish or simple way baby talk

rebut

to offer arguments or evidence that contradict an assertion to refute

reprimand

to scold find fault with a rebuke

servitude

slavery forced labor

slapdash

careless and hasty

stagnant

not running or flowing foul from standing still inactive sluggish dull

succumb

to give way to superior force yield

atone

to make up for

bondage

slavery, servitude, captivity

credible

Believable

defray

to pay for

diligent

hardworking, industrious, not lazy

doleful

sad, dreary

ghastly

frightful, horrible, deathly pale

hamper

to hold back

hew

to shape or cut down with an ax

impoverished

poor, in a state of poverty

incessant

never stopping, going all the time

intricate

complicated, complex

lucid

easy to understand, intelligible, clear

posthumous

occurring or published after death

prim

overly neat, precise, fastidious

sardonic

grimly, bitterly, sarcastic, wry

superfluous

excess, surplus

taunt

to jeer at, mock, ridicule

supplant

to take the place of, oust

tenacious

holding fast, obstinate, dogged