Vocabulary+Lists

QUARTERLY VOCABULARY LISTS

**Q4 Vocabulary List**
1. malleable adj. 1) capable of being extended or shaped: capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences 2: having a capacity for adaptive change. He’s too malleable. Too willing to submerge himself in someone else’s will (1). 2. rescind vt. 1) to take away, remove, take back, cancel. 2) to abrogate (a contract) and restore the parties to the positions they would have occupied had there been no contract. 3) to make void, repeal. . . . they would like to rescind the waivers (4). 3. forestall vt. to exclude, hinder or prevent by prior measures. Ender. . . was trying to figure out a way to forestall vengeance (5). 4. vivisect vt. to perform vivisection on. vivisection n. 1 : the cutting of or operation on a living animal usually for physiological or pathological investigation. “We’re gonna vivisect you, bugger” (9). 5. commiserate vi. to feel or express sympathy vt. to feel or express sorrow or compassion for. Mother came home and commiserated with Ender about the monitor (11). 6. extenuate vt. to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of by making partial excuses: mitigate. “We’re willing to consider extenuating circumstances” (14). 7. ambiguous adj. 1) doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness. 2) capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways. “. . . but in fact, their feelings are still ambiguous” (16). 8. assimilation n. the act, process or state of being assimilated. assimilate. v. 1) to take in and utilize as nourishment, absorb into the system. 2) to take into the mind and thoroughly comprehend. “. . you interfere with their efforts at assimilation into normal complying society” (17). 9. disorientation n. the state of being disoriented. disorient v. to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship. They say that weightlessness can cause disorientation (21). 10. deftly adv. characterized by facility and skill. Deftly he propelled him down the aisle. . . (24). 11. opaque adj. 1) exhibiting opacity : blocking the passage of radiant energy and especially light. 2) hard to understand or explain. . . . a sheet of opaque plastic (29). 12. flamboyant adj. 1 marked by or given to strikingly elaborate or colorful display or behavior. They were wearing much more flamboyant clothing (31). 13. maladroit n. lacking adroitness: inept, awkward. “Maladroit,” Bernard called him once, and the name stuck (36). 14. hierarchy n. 1) the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing; also : the group so classified. 2) a graded or ranked series. Bernard was setting up a kingdom. . . [and] established the hierarchy (36). 15. dissociate vt. to separate from association or union with another. .trying to dissociate himself from her contempt for the boys (57). 16. contempt n. the state of mind of one who despises; disdain. . . . her contempt for the boys. . . (57). 17. swagger vi. 1) to conduct oneself in an arrogant or pompous manner; especially to walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence. He was imitating her swaggering way of speaking . . . (57). 18. initiative n. 1) an introductory step. 2) energy or aptitude displayed in initiation of action : enterprise. . . . the individual soldiers were given little initiative (61). 19. gall vt. to irritate, vex. [I]t seemed as if Ender were granting him his command as a favor. Galling, and yet he had no choice (63). 20. magnanimous adj. showing or suggesting a lofty spirit, nobility of feeling and generosity of mind. Ender had beaten him . . . by being magnanimous (63). 21. orientation n. a general direction of inclination or interest; alignment. Ender had found the orientation that made sense (64). 22. carnage n. 1) the flesh of slain animals or men. 2) great and usually bloody slaughter or injury. . . . they hoped the enemy would overlook them in the carnage (67). 23. symmetrical adj. capable of division by a longitudinal plane into similar halves. “Either random distribution of the stars, or symmetrical” (70). 24. hegemony n. preponderant influence or authority over others: domination. “I reserve the right to communicate with the Hegemony . . .”(71). 25. insubordinate adj. disobedient to authority. “You’re not only short and incompetent, you’re insubordinate, too”(75). 26. spawn n. offspring. vt. to have offspring. “I’m the bloody bastard you wanted when you had me spawned.” (85). 27. gullible adj. easily duped or cheated. “. . . hopelessly ignorant, gullible news writers” (90). 28. façade n. 1) the front of a building or any face of a building given special architectural treatment. 2) a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect. The façade of peace and cooperation . . . (90). 29. exploit vt. 1) to make productive use of: utilize. 2) to make use of meanly or unfairly for one's own advantage. She didn’t ever want to exploit people the way Peter did . . . (91). 30. empathize vi. to understand, be aware of, be sensitive to, and vicariously experience the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. . . . she could empathize with him enough to get inside him that way (91). 31. flux n. change, fluctuation. . . . there are times when the world is in flux (91). 32. manipulate vt. 1) to manage or utilize skillfully. 2) to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage. He’s manipulating me, she thought, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t sincere (94). 33. entity n. something that has separate and distinct existence. . . . the Second Warsaw Pact was to be regarded as a single entity where those rules were concerned. (97). 34. nuance n. a subtle distinction or variation. Ender and Alai were discussing the nuances of open-space maneuvers . . . (99). 35. incognito adj. with one's identity concealed. “Demosthenes can not remain incognito forever” (101). 36. pseudonym n. a fictitious name; pen name. . . . hide behind his too-appropriate pseudonym . . . (101). 37. discreet adj. 1) having or showing good judgment in conduct and especially in speech: prudent. 2) unpretentious, modest, unobtrusive. The soldiers followed at a discreet distance . . . (102). 38. acquiescence n. the act of accepting, complying, or submitting tacitly or passively. His acquiescence calmed her (105). 39. denunciation n. an act of denouncing; especially : a public condemnation. Demosthenes published a scathing denunciation . . . (109). 40. annihilation n. the act of vanquishing completely. . . . no invasion could ever threaten the human race with annihilation (109)/ 41. divisive adj. creating disunity or dissension. It wasn’t to unify the group—in fact, it was divisive (119). 42. arcane adj. secret, mysterious, obscure. “Not archaic, just arcane. Secret, subtle, roundabout (121). 43. leniency n. the quality or state of being compassionate, merciful, easygoing. Let the boys learn that leniency comes from their toon leaders, and harshness from their commander . . .(128). 44. ineptitude adj. lacking in fitness or aptitude; unfit, bungling. . . . it was only Bonzo’s ineptitude that had saved them (137). 45. disingenuous adj. giving a false appearance of simple frankness: calculating. “Do not be disingenuous with me, Colonel Graff” (141). 46. inertia n. 1) a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force. 2) indisposition to motion, exertion, or change. . . .inertia in flight was a tool that could be used against the enemy. . . (43). 47. conciliatory adj. characterized by the desire to appease or make compatible. . . . she was too pacific, too conciliatory. . . (161). 48. misgivings n. a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event. In spite of all her misgivings, Valentine was having fun being Demosthenes (161). 49. deteriorate vt. to make inferior in quality or value, to impair. vi. to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition. . . . this would make the quality of Demosthenes’ columns deteriorate (162). 50. derisive adj. expressing or causing scorn or ridicule. “I will overlook your derisive language to a superior officer” (173). 51. atrophied adj. characterized by atrophy. n. a decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue; degeneration. “. . . most bugger soldiers are females, but with atrophied or vestigial sexual organs” (174). 52. gluttonous adj. marked by or given excessive or greedy indulgence. “And yet you are unpleasantly fat. A gluttonous ascetic? Such a contradiction” (180). 53. ascetic n. one who practices practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline. adj. austere in appearance, manner, or attitude. “a gluttonous ascetic” (180). 54. devious adj. not straightforward, cunning, deceptive. The computer-controlled enemy was devious and powerful. . . (181). 55. adept adj. thoroughly proficient, expert. . . . he became more adept at controlling the fighter’s speed (182). 56. disconcertvt. to throw into confusion or disturb the composure of.. . this was something deliberate, meant to disconcert him(183). 57. inscrutable adj. not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood, mysterious. Mazer’s face went inscrutable (187). 58. subtle adj. delicate, elusive, artful. t was subtle. Ender couldn’t see it for a long time (188). 59. sentient adj. responsive to or conscious of sense impressions, aware. . . . living, sentient beings. . . . (189). 60. deploy vt. to place in appropriate positions; to spread out, utilize, or arrange for a deliberate purpose. . . . the faster he could deploy them, the better he could use them (192). 61. exhilarating adj. causing exhilaration. exhilarate vt. to make cheerful and excited, to enliven or stimulate. . . . battles became exhilarating (197). 62. coddle vt. to treat wi/ extreme or excessive care/kindness, pamper..“If you keep coddling us like this we’ll think you like us” (197). 63. pore vi. (to pore over) to gaze intently, to reflect or meditate steadily. He would use the time. . . to pore over the replays of the last games (198). 64. innovation n. 1) the introduction of something new. 2) a new idea, method, or device: novelty. Sometimes he was fully prepared for the enemy’s innovations. . . (198). 65. petulant adj. insolent or rude in speech or behavior: ill humored: peevish. “You can be as petulant as you want, tomorrow” (203). 66. extraneous adj. not forming an essential or vital part, having no relevance. . . . an extraneous concern on their minds (204). 67. acquit vt. 1) to discharge completely. 2) to conduct (oneself) satisfactorily especially under stress. “I knew I’d be acquitted” (213). 68. negligent adj. failing to exercise the care expected of a reasonably prudent person in like circumstances. “Mistreatment of children, negligent homicide. . . (213). 69. cretin n. a stupid, vulgar, or insensitive person: clod, lout. . . . Demosthenes’ mob of political cretins. . . (214). 70. cynical adj. contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives. . . . his cynical moments. . .(218).
 * VOCABULARY from Ender’s Game**