Vocabulary #5

1. ef·face transitive verb, ef·faced; ef·fac·ing
1: to eliminate or make indistinct by or as if by wearing away a surface <coins with dates effaced by wear>; also: to cause to vanish <daylight effaced the stars>
2: to make (oneself) modestly or shyly inconspicuous
- ef·face·ableadjective
- ef·face·mentnoun
- ef·fac·ernoun

2. fal·la·cious adjective
1: embodying a fallacy <a fallacious conclusion>
2: tending to deceive or mislead : DELUSIVE
- fal·la·cious·lyadverb
- fal·la·cious·nessnoun

3. en·gen·der verb, en·gen·dered; en·gen·der·ing
1: BEGET, PROCREATE
2: to cause to exist or to develop : PRODUCE <policies that have engendered controversy>
intransitive verb: to assume form : ORIGINATE

4. mit·i·gate transitive verb, -gat·ed; -gat·ing
1: to cause to become less harsh or hostile : MOLLIFY <aggressiveness may be mitigated or...channeled -- Ashley Montagu>
2 a: to make less severe or painful : ALLEVIATEb: EXTENUATE
synonym see RELIEVE
- mit·i·ga·tionnoun
- mit·i·ga·tiveadjective
- mit·i·ga·tornoun
- mit·i·ga·to·ryadjective
usageMitigate is sometimes (followed by against) <some intangible and invisible social force that mitigates against him -- William Faulkner>

5. pro·sa·ic adjective
1 a: characteristic of prose as distinguished from poetry : FACTUALb: DULL, UNIMAGINATIVEprosaic advice>
2: EVERYDAY, ORDINARY <heroic characters wasted in prosaic lives -- Kirkus Reviews
- pro·sa·i·cal·lyadverb

6. ephem·er·al adjective
1: lasting one day only <an ephemeral fever>
2: lasting a very short time <ephemeral pleasures>
synonym see TRANSIENT
- ephem·er·al·ly adverb

7. di·dac·tic adjective
1 a: designed or intended to teach b: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment <didactic poetry>
2: making moral observations
- di·dac·ti·caladjective
- di·dac·ti·cal·lyadverb
- di·dac·ti·cismnoun

8. vo·li·tion noun
1: an act of making a choice or decision; also: a choice or decision made
2: the power of choosing or determining : WILL
- vo·li·tion·aladjective

9. dog·mat·ic , also dog·mat·i·caladjective
1: characterized by or given to the expression of opinions very strongly or positively as if they were facts <a dogmatic critic>
2: of or relating to dogma
synonym see DICTATORIAL
- dog·mat·i·cal·lyadverb
- dog·mat·i·cal·nessnoun

10. as·cet·ic also as·cet·i·cal , adjective
1: practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline
2: austere in appearance, manner, or attitude
synonym see SEVERE
- asceticnoun
- as·cet·i·cal·lyadverb
- as·cet·i·cismnoun

11. vac·il·late intransitive verb-lat·ed; -lat·ing
1 a: to sway through lack of equilibrium b: FLUCTUATE, OSCILLATE
2: to waver in mind, will, or feeling : hesitate in choice of opinions or courses
synonym see HESITATE
- vac·il·lat·ing·lyadverb
- vac·il·la·tornoun

12. her·e·sy noun, plural-sies
1 a: adherence to a religious opinion contrary to church dogma b: denial of a revealed truth by a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church c: an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma
2 a: dissent or deviation from a dominant theory, opinion, or practice b: an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards

13. ex·pe·dite transitive verb-dit·ed; -dit·ing
1: to execute promptly
2: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up
3: ISSUE, DISPATCH

14. eu·pho·ny noun, plural-nies
1: pleasing or sweet sound; especially: the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear
2: a harmonious succession of words having a pleasing sound
- eu·phon·icadjective
- eu·phon·i·cal·lyadverb

15. ba·nal adjective
: lacking originality, freshness, or novelty : TRITE
synonym see INSIPID
- ba·nal·izetransitive verb
- ba·nal·lyadverb

16. de·prav·i·ty noun, plural-ties
1: a corrupt act or practice
2: the quality or state of being depraved

17. laud·able adjective
: worthy of praise : COMMENDABLE
- laud·able·nessnoun
- laud·ablyadverb

18. prod·i·gal adjective
1: characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure : LAVISH <a prodigal feast> <prodigal outlays for her clothes>
2: recklessly spendthrift <the prodigal prince>
3: yielding abundantly : LUXURIANT -- often used with of <nature has been so prodigal of her bounty -- H. T. Buckle>
synonym see PROFUSE
- prod·i·gal·i·tynoun
- prod·i·gal·lyadverb

19. re·pu·di·ate transitive verb-at·ed; -at·ing
1: to divorce or separate formally from (a woman)
2: to refuse to have anything to do with : DISOWN
3 a: to refuse to accept; especially: to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force <repudiate a contract> b: to reject as untrue or unjust <repudiate a charge>
4: to refuse to acknowledge or pay <repudiate a debt>
synonym see DECLINE
- re·pu·di·a·tornoun

20. enig·ma noun
1: an obscure speech or writing
2: something hard to understand or explain
3: an inscrutable or mysterious person
synonym see MYSTERY