American Literature Vocabulary Notes

Balk

Refuse to proceed or to do something.

Complacent

Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality).

Esoteric

Understood by or intended for only a few; secret.

Moreover

Besides; in addition to what was just stated.

Obsequious

Servile, very compliant, fawning.

Penchant

Liking or inclination.

Quandary

Uncertainty or confusion about what to do, dilemma.

Skirt

Border, lie along the edge of, go around; evade.

Tenuous

Flimsy, having little substance; long and thin, slender.

Whimsical

Marked or motivated by whims (odd, fanciful ideas); erratic, unpredictable.

Assuage

Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm.

Cogent

Very convincing, logical.

Doleful

Expressing sorrow; mournful.

Ignominy

Deep personal humiliation and disgrace.

Mendacious

Lying, habitually dishonest.

Onerous

Burdensome, oppressive, hard to endure.

Reticent

Not talking much; private (of a person), restrained, reserved.

Surmise

Guess, infer, opine.

Vituperate

Verbally abuse, rebuke or criticize harshly.

Wary

Watchful, motivated by caution, on guard against danger.

Atrocious

Shockingly bad or lacking in taste; awful.

Basely

Dishonorably; meanly.

Derision

Harsh ridicule or mockery; scorn.

Felicity

Happiness; bliss.

Impertinence

Improper boldness; rudeness.

Inanimate

Not alive; lifeless.

Patent

Obvious; apparent.

Perseverance

Persistence in the face of difficulty; determination.

Querulous

Given to complaining.

Undulating

Moving with a wavelike motion.

Circumvent

To avoid or get around by clever maneuvering.

Coquettish

Flirtatious.

Diffident

Shy and timid; lacking self-confidence.

Edict

An order put out by a person in authority.

Encroach

To advance beyond original limits; intrude.

Obliterate

To wipe out, leaving no trace.

Pallid

Abnormally pale.

Profoundly

Deeply; intensely.

Temerity

Foolish boldness.

Virulent

Extremely poisonous or harmful.

Anon

In a short time; soon.

Apathetic

Feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent.

Banter

To speak in a playful or teasing way.

Capacious

Spacious.

Contiguous

Sharing an edge or boundary; touching.

Cordial

Courteous and gracious; friendly.

Cynical

Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity.

Desolate

Devoid of inhabitants; deserted.

Extemporizing

To speak extemporaneously (making it up on the spot).

Feign

Pretend; sham; counterfeit.

Fractious

Refractory or unruly.

Intimation

An indirect suggestion; a slight suggestion or vague understanding.

Languid

Lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow.

Levity

Lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness.

Ostentatious

Pretentious, opulent, conspicuous; intended to attract attention; to show-off

prodigal

(adjective) Wastefully or recklessly extravagant in spending. (noun) A person who spends, or has spent, his or her money or substance with wasteful extravagance; spendthrift

rapacious

Predatory greed; ravenous; voracious

supercilious

Haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.

superfluous

Being beyond what is required or sufficient

wan

Of an unnatural or sickly pallor; pallid lacking color.