Vocabulary List #16:  1/12/97
abdicate to renounce a high office; dignity; to relinquish
abolition the act of abolishing or doing away with
beneficence the quality or state of being kind or good; kind action
coagulate to become thick or viscous; to clot; curdle
decrepit wasted and weakened by old age; impaired by wear
eke increase; lengthen
fanatic marked by excessive and intense devotion; overzealous
fetish object of magic power to protect; object of irrational obsession
gargoyle a spout to throw rain water in the form of a grotesque animal
gibe to shake or handle roughly; to deride or tease by taunting
glean to gather painstakingly, bit by bit
habiliment the dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion
herbivorous feeding on plants rather than animals; plant eating
imbecile a mentally deficient person; feeble minded person
immersion baptism by complete submersion; act of placing underwater
inert lacking power to move; slow to move or act
jargon technical language of a special group; confused, unintelligible
jugular relating to throat or neck or to the jugular vein
kiosk small structure used as a newsstand or booth
kismet fate
lethargy abnormal drowsiness; the state of being lazy or indifferent
lupine wolfish; or an edible seed
nabob a man of great wealth or prominence
obviate to make unnecessary; dispose of beforehand
polemic an aggressive attack on opinions of another
precipitate to bring about; to cause to condense and fall or separate out
pristine uncorrupted by civilization; fresh and clean
querulous habitually complaining; fretful; whining
reconnaissance exploratory military survey of enemy territory
venerable sacred or respected through age and position; impressive by age

Vocabulary List Index #2