Vocabulary Unit 5 Level F amnesty (noun) (am' nə stē) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution Many political prisoners were freed under the amnesty granted by the new regime. autonomy (noun) (ô tän' ə mē) self-­‐government, political control After the colonies gained autonomy from England, many Americans still clung to English traditions. equitable (adjective) (ek' wə tə bəl) fair, just, embodying principles of justice He did more work, so a sixty-­‐forty split of the profits seemed an equitable arrangement. filch (verb) (filch) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts If you filch pennies from the cash drawer, you will be tempted to steal larger amounts one day. precept (noun) (prē' sept) a rule of conduct or action Many philosophies follow the precept that it is important to treat others as you would like to be treated. scathing (adjective) (skā' thiŋ) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm Sometimes a reasoned discussion does more to change people's minds than a scathing attack. straitlaced (adjective) (strāt' lāst) so as to appear to be extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical Travelers may find people overseas straitlaced in some ways but surprisingly free in others. transient (adjective) (tran' shənt) lasting only a short time, fleeting His bad mood was transient, and by the time he'd finished his breakfast, he was smiling. transient (noun) (tran' shənt) one who stays only a short time Many farm hands lived the lives transients of during the Great Depression. unwieldy (adjective) (ən wēl' dē) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity We loaded the truck with the chairs and the coffee table, but the grand piano was too unwieldy. vapid (adjective) (vap' id) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force While critics called the movie vapid, I thought the performers were very interesting and lively.