Vocabulary #2

accoutrements - noun personal clothing, accessories, etc.

Ex. They will report on board in working suits, carrying their arms and accoutrements.

apogee - noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth; a final climactic stage

Ex. Both tribe members and gambling industry experts agree that the casino is probably at the apogee of its earning powers.

apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time

Ex. Bob’s apropos comment fit in perfectly with our discussion.

bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things

Ex. He warns that they'll bicker and possibly even brawl.

coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements

Ex. The experts did eventually coalesce around some powerfully simple points.

contretemps - noun an awkward clash

Ex. That's a lesson that should have emerged clearly from this contretemps.

convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly

Ex. This class implements a convolution from the source to the destination.

cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected; look for and gather

Ex. Others in the community cull the pictures into sets.

disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind

Ex. She cautions against going overboard with too many disparate shades.

dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

Ex. The final statement in the quote is simply a dogmatic assertion.

licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained

Ex. Tom is licentious and has no regard for morality or the law.

mete - noun a line that indicates a boundary         

Ex. It would be far better to conduct investigations and mete out punishments at the national level.

noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health

Ex. These chemicals can make plants smell good or, alternately, noxious.

polemic - adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)

Ex. This is neither a big book, nor a tough read, nor a polemic.

populous - adj. densely populated

Ex. It isn't really clear how populous the largest urban areas there would have been.

probity - noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles

Ex. Probity officers are employed throughout the process to maintain accountability and fairness.

repartee - noun adroitness and cleverness in reply

Ex. Do not be intimidated, but do not expect much repartee or laughter either.

supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development

Ex. Social properties supervene on the properties of individuals.

truncate - adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane

Ex. Comments are useless if you truncate the conclusions.

unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame

Ex. Because there was an impeachable witness in the crime scene, it was not possible for the criminal to tell false.