Essential Words Units 11-15

Question 1

bucolic

Answer 1

characteristic of the countryside, rustic, pastoral

Question 2

burgeon

Answer 2

to flourish, burgeoning population

Question 3

burnish

Answer 3

to polish

Question 4

buttress

Answer 4

to reinforce, support

Question 5

cacophonous

Answer 5

unpleasant or harsh sounding

Question 6

aficionados

Answer 6

enthusiastic admirers

Question 7

cadge

Answer 7

to beg, sponge

Question 8

callous

Answer 8

thick-skinned, insensitive

Question 9

calumny

Answer 9

false and malicious accusation, slander

Question 10

canard

Answer 10

false, misleading story

Question 11

canon

Answer 11

established principle, basis or standard for judgement, group of literary works

Question 12

rococo

Answer 12

excessively ornate; architecture

Question 13

cant

Answer 13

insincere talk, language of a particular group

Question 14

cantankerous

Answer 14

irritable, ill-humored

Question 15

capricious

Answer 15

fickle, change mind frequently

Question 16

captious

Answer 16

faultfinding, intended to entrap, as in an argument

Question 17

cardinal

Answer 17

of foremost importance

Question 18

carnal

Answer 18

of the flesh or body, related to physical appetites

Question 19

nirvana

Answer 19

ideal condition of rest, harmony or joy

Question 20

carping

Answer 20

to find fault, complain

Question 21

utilitarian

Answer 21

human activity should be aimed at achieving the greatest good for the greatest number

Question 22

cartography

Answer 22

map making

Question 23

caste

Answer 23

hereditary social classes

Question 24

castigation

Answer 24

punishment, chastisement, criticism

Question 25

cataclysm

Answer 25

violent upheaval

Question 26

catalyst

Answer 26

causing change

Question 27

libertarian

Answer 27

great importance on individual freedom

Question 28

categorical

Answer 28

absolute, without exception

Question 29

caucus

Answer 29

smaller group within an organization

Question 30

causal

Answer 30

involving a cause

Question 31

caustic

Answer 31

sarcastically biting, burning

Question 32

celestial

Answer 32

sky, heavens, sublime

Question 33

doppler effect

Answer 33

change in the wavelength and frequency of a wave as a result of motion of either the source or receiver of the waves

Question 34

centrifugal

Answer 34

moving away from the center

Question 35

centripetal

Answer 35

moving or directed towards a center

Question 36

champion

Answer 36

to defend or support

Question 37

chasten

Answer 37

to correct by punishment or reproof, to restrain or subdue

Question 38

chicanery

Answer 38

trickery, fraud

Question 39

chivalry

Answer 39

the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallentary

Question 40

churlish

Answer 40

rude, boorish

Question 41

circuitous

Answer 41

roundabout

Question 42

clairvoyant

Answer 42

one who can predict the future

Question 43

clamor

Answer 43

noisy outcry

Question 44

clique

Answer 44

small, exclusive group

Question 45

cloister

Answer 45

to confine, seclude

Question 46

coagulate

Answer 46

thicken, congeal

Question 47

coalesce

Answer 47

to cause to become one

Question 48

coda

Answer 48

concluding part of a literary or musical composition, summarizes or concludes

Question 49

codify

Answer 49

to systematize

Question 50

cognizant

Answer 50

informed, conscious, aware

Question 51

collage

Answer 51

assemblage of diverse elements

Question 52

commensurate

Answer 52

proportional

Question 53

compendium

Answer 53

brief, comprehensive summary

Question 54

complacent

Answer 54

self-satisfied

Question 55

complaisant

Answer 55

overly polite, willing to please, obliging

Question 56

complement

Answer 56

something that completes or makes a whole