Vocabulary Unit 1

approbation (n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval Ex: The court gave its approbation on the deal that merged the two companies.

assuage (v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench Ex: I gave my mother my flight itinerary to assuage her fears of my traveling alone.

coalition (n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose Ex: The school created a coalition to prevent bullying called H.A.B.I.T.

decadence (n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; excessive self-indulgence Ex: Vanity is a trait that is often a sign of decadence, as it leads to staring into every mirror one passes.

elicit (v) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person) Ex: His rude behavior elicited boos from the angry crowd.

expostulate (v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning Ex: Because of her own fear of flying, I knew it was pointless to try to expostulate with my mother so that I could fly to Ireland on vacation.

hackneyed (adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality Ex: I searched Hallmark for a birthday card that avoided the usual hackneyed expressions.

hiatus (n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing) Ex: Every summer, our favorite television shows go on hiatus, and instead of new episodes to watch, we are left with repeats.

innuendo (n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense) Ex: If you really want to ask a person on a date, avoid subtle innuendos and just walk up to them and ask!

intercede (v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement Ex: Children sometimes feel it necessary to intercede on behalf of one parent or the other when the parents have a disagreement.

jaded (adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence) Ex: Jack became jaded after being turned away by job after job; it was hard for him to approach each interview with enthusiasm knowing he was competing with so many other eager teenagers.

lurid (adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint Ex: The details of the murder on the college campus were so lurid that many news organizations did not print them.

meritorious (adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise Ex: The volunteer firefighters were praised by the mayor for their meritorious rescue efforts in the conflagration.

petulant (adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset Ex: The petulant child cried whenever anyone else played with his toys.

prerogative (n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence Ex: An accomplished athlete like Michael Phelps has the prerogative to be called “the best”.

provincial (adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area;

simulate (v.) to make a pretense of, imitate; show the outer signs of Ex: Sadly, I fell asleep playing “The Sims,” and my simulated husband burned himself alive while cooking at the stove; I awoke to find nothing left of him but his ashes in an urn. 

transcend (v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed Ex: Most literature that is considered “classic” are pieces that transcend their settings and depict universal values and emotions.

umbrage (n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion Ex: We built our house in the umbrage of a beautiful maple tree.

unctuous (adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety Ex: The politician’s unctuous behavior made the crowd uncomfortable, rather than make him appear trustworthy.