Vocabulary Drill

Chapter Six

absolution · forgiveness

acclimated · adjusted

acutely · sharply or intensely

alleviate · lessen

anguished · pained or agonized

anticipation · expectation

appreciate · value

assertions · statements or claims

assured · promised

authentic · genuine

bastion · stronghold

beseeched · begged or pleaded

blithely · casually

bulky · large or massive

candor · openness or honesty

catalyzed · inspired or incited

cavalierly · casually or offhandedly

consumed · overwhelmed

correspondence · mail or communication

currency · money

deficient · poor or lacking

deprivation · lack

devoid · empty

diffident · hesitant or timid

disquieting · disturbing or unsettling

distraught · upset

ejection · kicking out

elated · excited or overjoyed

embroiled · involved

facet · aspect or part

faltering · weakening or hesitating

furrowing · creasing or wrinkling

girth · size or thickness

gratuitous · unnecessary or unreasonable

hedonist · someone who seeks pleasure

heir · successor or inheritor

impediment · obstacle or barrier

implicate · point the finger at

impulse · sudden urge or whim

incarnate · in material form

inferred · assumed

inherent · natural or inborn

intuition · instinct

invective · criticism or attack

issue · come out

justifiably · rightly or understandably

jutted · stuck out

lavish · fancy or extravagant

loiter · hang around

materialism · love of luxury items

menacing · threatening

nave · gullible or simple

nostalgia · longing for the past

notable · prominent or noticeable

obscure · little-known

optimism · confidence or hopefulness

opulent · fancy or extravagant

painstakingly · carefully or meticulously

parallels · similarities

paramount · of greatest importance

pariah · outsider or reject

patronizing · condescending or belittling

pedestal · high position

peevish · cranky or irritable

piqued · awakened or aroused

plausible · possible or believable

poise · self-assurance or composure

preponderance · excess or surplus

retain · preserve or maintain

riled · angered or annoyed

scant · tiny or minimal

scrutiny · study or inspection

selfdeprecating · self-critical

slovenly · sloppy or messy

squelched · suppressed or held back

voluptuous · sexy or sensual

vulnerable · weak or defenseless