Vocabulary Fall List #5

Acumen: n. keen insight; shrewdness.

John's impressive acumen in his business promised a better future for him.

Adjudicate: v. to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence

The Supreme Court adjudicated that the written word is no longer used in school education.

Anachronism: n. something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.

Captain America is an anachronism when arriving in the 21st century.

Apocryphal: adj. of doubtful authorship; false.

The apocryphal story told about the legendary hero was later revealed of its truth in class.

Disparity: n. lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference.

Michelle's disparity from the group did not dissapoint her as she continued her arts and crafts.

Dissimulate: v. to disguise or conceal under a false appearance; dissemble.

Athene had dissiumulated her appearance as a Trojan warrior so as to trick Hektor.

Empirical: adj. derived from or provable by experience or experiment.

The empirical formula had indeed been answered by her intelligence.

Flamboyant: adj. strikingly bold or billiant; showy; dashing and colorful.

The twins' flamboyant style of clothing turned the heads of every student that Friday.

Fulsome: adj. offensive to good taste; overdone or gross; repulsive.

Johnny grimaced when the fulsome pile of unidentified grey mush was dumped onto his tray at lunch.

Immolate: v. to sacrifice; to destroy by fire.

Would he really go as far as to immolate the only thing he ever loved in order to save the nation?

Imperceptible: adj. very slight or subtle; not perceptible.

Her imperceptible gesture to get him to stop babbling like an idiot made no difference as the fool continued.

Lackey: n. a servile follower; toady.

Kelli silently fumed when Owen referred to her as his lackey.

Liaison: n. communication or contact between units or groups.

The liaison between Sarah and Mackenzie was incredible.

Monolithic: adj. consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken.

The monolithic double yellow line in the middle of the road can be confusing to beginning drivers; which side of the road am I supposed to be on?

Mot Juste: n. the appropriate word or expression.

I believe that the word 'crap' is the mot juste for any dissapointing situation.

Nihilism: n. total rejection of established laws and insitutions.

Jessica stated that her buddies in the slammer were there for their nihilism.

Patrician: n. a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat.

The patrician stried down the sidewalk while swishing his cane and tipping his hat.
Propitiate: v. to make favorably inclined; appease.

Igor strived to propitiate his master in any way possible.
Sic: v. to attack.

"Sic her, boy!" I yelled pathetically at my hamster when my sister walked into my room.

Sublimate: adj. purified or exalted.

The sublimate water quenched my thirst after walking four miles in the blistering heat while searchign for a rest stop.