Vocabulary #3

1. accolade: (n) a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
After my brother proposed to his girlfriend, my mother gave her my grandmothers favorite necklace as an accolade.
2. acerbity: (n) a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
The black coffee had such an acerbity to it that I could only take one sip before dumping the rest out.
3. attrition: (n) the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due ton water or wind or ice; erosion by friction
Walking around the theme parks for many days in a row acted as an unfortunate attrition to my favorite pair of sneakers.
4. bromide: (n) any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
Her sarcastic bromide of pointing out our father's inability to navigate our family through the campsite caused her to get into much trouble.
5. chauvinist: (n) an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
The sexist chauvinist thought it was beneath the men to help the women clean up after the gathering.
6. chronic: (adj) being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
Her chronic back pain caused her to regularly meet with her beloved chiropractor.
7. expound: (v) add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and disclosure in a learned way, usually in writing
She wanted to expound on the concept of speciation so she had her students perform experiments that imitated this occurrence in nature.
8. immaculate: (adj) completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
Her brand new phone was immaculate until she dropped it on the street and cracked the screen.
9. imprecation: (n) the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil and usually serves as an insult; a slanderous accusation
An upset student made an imprecation that his teacher gave him an F on the test because he sleeps in class but it was clearly because he had no idea about anything covered on the test.
10. ineluctable: (adj) impossible to avoid or evade: "inescapable conclusion"
Starting your period is just an ineluctable part of life as a woman.
11. mercurial: (adj) relating to or containing or caused by mercury; relating to having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievish)  attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
Due to the weather's mercurial nature today, the sweatshirt that kept me nice and cozy in the morning is now causing me to sweat in places I didn't think possible.
12. palliate: (v) provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
The palliate ice bag allowed some of the swelling and burning sensation to decrease.
13. protocol: (n) code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
The protocol of ordering just about anything is to wait behind the last person in line until it is your turn to order your precious food.
14. resplendent: (adj) having great beauty and splendor
Many celebrities are thought to be resplendent, but this is usually the product of plastic surgery or multiple applications of heavy makeup.
15. stigmatize: (v) mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
She stigmatized her son after he stole all of her money and belongings.
16. sub: (n) a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes; a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese and condiments; different names are used in different sections of the United States; (v) a substitute
My favorite establishment that serves amazing subs has got to be Jersey Mike's.
17. rosa: (n) large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses
The rosa in her garden was beautiful to look at but a pain to run in to, literally.
18. vainglory: (n) outspoken conceit
He was such a vainglory that his own teammates did not want him to score another goal to win the game, even if it decimated their chances of going to the state championship.
19. vestige: (n) an indication that something has been present
The vestiges of the Roman empire give us keen insight into the way they used to live and function.
20. volition: (n) the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
Her volition to do the entire project in a single night deprived her of the recommended eight hours of sleep and cut it in half.