Vocabulary #4

acumen - keen insight; shrewdness

Warren Buffet possessed the financial acumen to make billions of dollars off of investments.

adjudicate - to settle or determine judicially

The Supreme Court adjudicated that donations of money qualify as a form of free speech.

anachronism - something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time

I pointed out to Will that it was an anachronism when he stated Napoleon Bonaparte lived in the 21st century.

apocryphal - of doubtful authorship or authenticity

The Iliad and Odyssey are famous for their apocryphal claim that Homer is the true author.

disparity - lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference

There is a great disparity between how Mass Effect 1 played and how Mass Effect 2 played.

dissimulate - to disguise or conceal under a false appearance

Ezio tried to dissimulate his appearance by posing as a guard.

empirical - derived from or guided by experience or experiment

The Quadratic Equation has now become an empirical formula.

flamboyant - strikingly bold or brilliant; showy; ornate

Freddie Mercury was renown for his flamboyant personality on stage.

fulsome - offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive; overdone or gross

Mr. Collins' praise of Lady Catherine was rather fulsome.

immolate - to sacrifice; to destroy by fire

"You are going to have to immolate your dog if you wish to live!"

imperceptible - very slight, gradual, or subtle; not perceived by or affecting the senses

Josh had an imperceptible change about him, one that would not be recognized until years later.

lackey - a servile follower; toady; a footman or manservant

Nowadays, you hardly see patricians with many lackeys following them around.

liaison - a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection; an illicit sexual relationship.

Woody Allen had a liaison with Soon-Yi Previn.

monolithic - made of only one stone; consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken

The Great Pyramids are a good example of a monolithic monument.

mot juste - the exact, appropriate word

Sometimes, curse words are mot juste for the situation at hand.

nihilism - total rejection of established laws or institutions; anarchy, terrorism

The hacker group "Anonymous" is known for their nihilistic attitude. 

patrician - a person of noble or high rank, aristocrat

In this day and age, being a patrician is less and less of a good thing to the general public. 

propitiate - to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate

Companies are beholden to propitiate their shareholders.

sic - to attack; to incite an attack

"Sic 'em, boy," ordered the policemen to his German Shepherds.

sublimate - to make nobler or purer; purified or exalted
The water was sublimated so as to eliminate all bacteria and viruses found in it.