Group 12 Marks Spring 2014

Absolve (v.) To clear from blame, responsibility, or guilty.

Caricature (n.) A representation (especially a drawing) in which the subject’s characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated. (v.) To present someone or something is a deliberately distorted way.

Clangor (n.) A loud ringing sound. (v.) To make a loud ringing noise.

Contiguous (adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time.

Cupidity (n.) An eager desire for something; greed.

Deleterious (adj.) harmful, injurious

Enhance (v.) To raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of.

Enthrall (v.) To captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison.

Extenuate (v.) To lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses.

Implicit (adj.) Implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in.

Incisive (adj.) Sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness).

Ostentatious (adj.) Marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy.

Paragon (n.) A model of excellence or perfection.

Paraphrase (v.) To restate in other words. (n.) A statement that presents a given idea in new language.

Politic (adj.) Prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient.

Prosaic (adj.) Dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of- fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic.

Redundant (adj.) Extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush.

Sanctimonious (adj.) Making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou.

Scintillating (adj.) Sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities).

Winsome (adj.) Charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence).

Squander Verb Noun To spend or use money, time extravagantly or wastefully/scatter. Extravagant or wasteful expenditure.

Taciturn (adj.) Inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation, dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.

Torpor (n.) Sluggish inactivity or inertia, lethargic indifference; apathy. A state of suspended physical powers and activities, dormancy, as of a hibernating animal.

Virulent (adj.) Actively poisonous/deadly; intensely noxious: a virulent insect bite. Intensely bitter, spiteful, or malicious: a virulent attack.

Zeal (n.) Fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor.