Key Terms 4

Question 1

Acerbic

Answer 1

having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting

Question 2

aggrandize

Answer 2

to increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige

Question 3

alchemy

Answer 3

a medieval science aimed at the transmutation of metals esp base metals into gold

Question 4

amenable

Answer 4

agreeable; responsive to a suggestion

Question 5

anachronism

Answer 5

something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context

Question 6

astringent

Answer 6

having a tightening effect on living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a tightening effect on tissue

Question 7

contiguous

Answer 7

sharing a border; touching; adjacent

Question 8

convention

Answer 8

a generally agreed upon practice or attitude

Question 9

credulous

Answer 9

tending to believe too readily; gullible

Question 10

cynicism

Answer 10

an attitude or quality of belief that all people are motivated by selfishness

Question 11

decorum

Answer 11

polite or appropriate conduct or behavior

Question 12

derision

Answer 12

scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment

Question 13

desiccate

Answer 13

to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull

Question 14

dilettante

Answer 14

one with amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge

Question 15

disparage

Answer 15

to slight or belittle

Question 16

divulge

Answer 16

to disclose something secret

Question 17

fawn

Answer 17

to flatter or praise excessively

Question 18

flout

Answer 18

to show contempt for, as in a rule or convention

Question 19

garrulous

Answer 19

pointlessly talkative; talking too much

Question 20

glib

Answer 20

marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial

Question 21

hubris

Answer 21

overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance

Question 22

imminent

Answer 22

about to happen; impending

Question 23

immutable

Answer 23

not capable of change

Question 24

impetuous

Answer 24

hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement

Question 25

indifferent

Answer 25

having no interest or concern; showing no bias or prejudice

Question 26

inimical

Answer 26

damaging; harmful; injurious

Question 27

intractable

Answer 27

not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate

Question 28

intrepid

Answer 28

steadfast and couragous

Question 29

laconic

Answer 29

using few words; terse

Question 30

maverick

Answer 30

an independent individual who does not go along with a group or a party

Question 31

mercurial

Answer 31

characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood

Question 32

mollify

Answer 32

to calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity

Question 33

neophyte

Answer 33

a recent convert; a beginner; novice

Question 34

obfuscate

Answer 34

to deliberately obscure; to make confusing

Question 35

obstinate

Answer 35

stubborn; hard headed; uncompromizing

Question 36

ostentations

Answer 36

characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy

Question 37

pervade

Answer 37

to permeate throughout

Question 38

phlegmatic

Answer 38

calm; sluggish; unemotional

Question 39

plethora

Answer 39

an overabundance; a surplus

Question 40

pragmatic

Answer 40

practical rather than idealistic

Question 41

presumptuous

Answer 41

overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties

Question 42

pristine

Answer 42

pure; uncorrupted; clean

Question 43

probity

Answer 43

adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness

Question 44

proclivity

Answer 44

a natural predisposition or inclination

Question 45

profligate

Answer 45

excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant

Question 46

propensity

Answer 46

a natural inclination or tendency; penchant

Question 47

prosaic

Answer 47

dull; lacking in spirit or imagination

Question 48

pungent

Answer 48

characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste

Question 49

quixotic

Answer 49

foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals

Question 50

quotidian

Answer 50

occuring or recurring daily; commonplace

Question 51

rarefy

Answer 51

to make or become thin, less dense; to refine

Question 52

recondite

Answer 52

hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure

Question 53

refulgent

Answer 53

radiant; shiny; brilliant

Question 54

renege

Answer 54

to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise

Question 55

sedulous

Answer 55

diligent; persistent; hard working

Question 56

shard

Answer 56

a piece of broken pottery or glass

Question 57

soporific

Answer 57

causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep

Question 58

sparse

Answer 58

thin; not dense; arranged at widely spaced intervals

Question 59

spendthrift

Answer 59

one who spends money wastefully

Question 60

subtle

Answer 60

not obvious; elusive; difficult to discern

Question 61

tacit

Answer 61

implied; not explicitly stated

Question 62

terse

Answer 62

brief and concise in wording

Question 63

tout

Answer 63

to publicly praise or promote

Question 64

trenchant

Answer 64

sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating

Question 65

unfeigned

Answer 65

genuine; not false or hypocritical

Question 66

untenable

Answer 66

indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable

Question 67

vacillate

Answer 67

to waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another

Question 68

variegated

Answer 68

multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color

Question 69

vexation

Answer 69

annoyance; irritation

Question 70

vigilant

Answer 70

alertly watchful

Question 71

vituperate

Answer 71

to use harsh condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; to berate

Question 72

volatile

Answer 72

readily changing to a vapor; changeable; fickle; explosive