Vocabulary – Level F Unit 9

adulation praise or flattery that is excessive

supposition something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence

recapitulate to review a series of facts; to sum up

penury extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency

nebulous cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague, confused, indistinct

pretentious done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiable; making demands on one’s skill ro abilities, ambitious

abate to make less in amount, degree, etc; to subside, become less to nullify; to deduct, omit

evanescent vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy

irresolute unable to make up one’s mind, hesitating

astute shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

culpable Deserving blame, worthy of condemnation

Egregious conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used particularly in an unfavorable sense Excessive!

equivocate to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous

inactive, sluggish, dull torpid inactive, sluggish, dull

avarice A greedy desire, particularly for wealth

slovenly untidy, dirty, careless

anathema an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation

resuscitate To revive, bring back to consciousness or existence

novice one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience

dilatory tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone