VOCABULARY #5

obsequious: (adjective) Characterized by or showing too much willingness to serve or obey.
- The King had a number of obsequious servants; they were always on top of things and willing to serve his every need.

beatitude: (noun) Supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.
- The woman had such a beatitude attitude, proof that she had been transformed internally.

bete noire: (noun) A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads.
- Calculus was the bete noire of all her high school courses.  

bode: (verb) To be an omen of; to announce in advance; predict.
- A huge argument before the couple's marriage does not bode well for their future together. 

dank: (adjective) Unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and often chilly.
- The old woman had a dank cellar in her home. 

ecumenical: (adjective) General, universal; pertaining to the whole Christian church.
- The Pope's ecumenical mission had left a great impression on those who followed him.

fervid: (adjective) Heated in spirit, enthusiasm; burning, glowing.
- The students argued their points with fervid intensity. 

fetid: (adjective) Having an offensive odor; stinking. 
- The children played near the fetid swamp.

gargantuan: (adjective) Gigantic, enormous, colossal.
- The professor had assigned a gargantuan task. 

heyday: (noun) The greatest stage or period of greatest success, strength, etc. 
- Farmers were less healthy than the hunter-gathers had been in their heyday. 

incubus: (noun) A nightmare.
- She wanted nothing more than to escape this incubus.

infrastructure: (noun) The basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.
- A growing economy brought demands for an expanded infrastructure.

inveigle: (verb) To lure by flattery or artful talk.
- The young woman had inveigled her way into a marriage with a wealthy man. 

kudos: (noun) Honor, glory, acclaim.
- She had received kudos from everyone on her presentation.  

lagniappe: (noun) A small gift given with a purchase to a customer; An extra or unexpected gift or benefit.
- After purchasing the most expensive item at the man's store, she had received a lagniappe. 

prolix: (adjective) Extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy.
-  The boy had produced a prolix essay.

protege: (noun) A person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.
- He spoke to his protege regarding his artwork. 

prototype: (noun) Model that serves to illustrate.
- The museum shelters a variety of prototypes. 

sycophant: (noun) A person who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence.
- She had been known as a sycophant, who always agreed with her boss.

tautology: (noun) Needless repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase, or sentence.
- When speaking, it's best to avoid tautology. 

truckle: (verb) To submit or yield obsequiously.
- Never truckle to unreasonable demands.