Vocab

apologist

A person who speaks in defense of a person, idea, or a position.

dissuade

To discourage from doing something through persuasion.

dupe (verb)

To take advantage of people by tricking or fooling them.

dupe (noun)

Someone tricked and taken advantage of.

fallacy

A false belief; faulty or illogical reasoning.

imply

To hint; to suggest indirectly.

indisputable

Beyond doubt or question; certain.

infer

To draw a conclusion from evidence.

red herring

Something that draws attention away from the main issue.

refute

To prove to be false or invalid; to deny the accuracy or truth of.

substantiate

To support with evidence.

accolade

Great praise; an award.

adulation

Adoration; excessive praise or flattery.

anathema

Something or someone that is greatly hated and avoided.

commend

To give approval or praise.

critique (noun)

A detailed review; an evaluation.

critique (verb)

To review, discuss, or evaluate.

eulogy

A tribute; spoken or written praise, often given in honor of a person who has died.

homage

Publicly expressed honor or respect.

laudable

Worthy of praise or honor.

quibble (verb)

To criticize, argue, or raise objections over something.

quibble (noun)

An unimportant complaint.

reproach

To criticize or express disapproval.

behold

To gaze at or look upon.

discernment

Excellent judgment and insight; skill in perceiving.

envision

To picture in the mind; to imagine.

foresee

To see or know ahead of time.

gape

To stare in amazement, often with the mouth wide open.

impressionistic

Describing a highly personal, individual response to experience.

myopia

Lack of planning for the future; shortsightedness.

perceptive

Marked by understanding or awareness; sharp; sensitive.

premonition

A feeling that something will happen in the future; an advance warning.

subliminal

Below the threshold of conscious thought; not detectable, but able to bring about a response.

cessation

A bringing or coming to an end; a halt.

commence

To begin.

deter

To prevent or discourage from acting, by means of fear or doubt.

hamper

To prevent from moving freely or making progress; to limit.

obstruction

Something that blocks or gets in the way; an obstacle.

preclude

To make impossible or unlikely; to prevent.

procrastinate

To delay; to put off doing something.

scuttle

To run or move with short, hurried movements; to scurry.

subside

To sink to a lower or more normal level; to become less active or intense.

thwart

To prevent from taking place; frustrate; block.

archaic

No longer used or applicable; ancient.

argot

The informal, specialized vocabulary and expressions of a particular group.

connotation

Ideas or meanings suggested by a word; associations that go beyond a word's literal meaning.

denotation

The most direct or specific meaning of a word.

idiom

An expression with a special meaning that cannot be understood from the meanings of the individual words; a nonliteral expression.

jargon

A specialized vocabulary of a profession or trade.

pidgin

A simplified form of speech developed from two or more languages.

semantics

The study of meaning and word interpretation.

standard (adjective)

Conforming to the established language used by educated speakers.

standard (noun)

Something established as a measure of quality.

vernacular (noun)

Everyday language, rather than literary language.

vernacular (noun)

The native language or dialect of a country, place, or group.

vernacular (adjective)

Commonly spoken by a region or group.

atlas

A book or bound collection of maps.

epicure

A person with refined taste, especially in food and drink.

galvanize

To stimulate or urge into action; to spur.

jovial

Jolly; filled with joy or good cheer.

nemesis

A source of harm or ruin; an opponent that cannot be defeated.

Pyrrhic victory

A victory that is offset by staggering losses or that comes at a huge price.

quixotic

Dedicated to unreachable goals; idealistic but not practical.

saturnine

Gloomy and sullen.

sisyphean

Requiring endless effort; without result or success.

solecism

A nonstandard or improper use of language; a mistake in manners or behavior.

bland

Calming or soothing; not spicy or irritating; lacking flavor.

culinary

Related to cooking or kitchens.

cutlery

Utensils used for eating, such as knives, forks, and spoons.

devour

To consume or eat up greedily or enthusiastically.

morsel

A very small piece; a small treat.

pungent

Having a sharp, strong taste or smell.

quaff

To drink heartily and deeply.

ravenous

Extremely hungry.

savory

Pleasing to the taste or smell; appetizing.

simmer

To cook gently in liquid just at or below the boiling point.

blight

To have a negative effect on; to ruin.

cataclysm

An intense and violent disaster or change.

decomposition

The process of rotting, breaking down, or disintegration.

eradication

The act of tearing out by the roots, or of eliminating.

havoc

Widespread destruction and devastation; chaos and disorder.

mar

To inflict damage or spoil the quality of.

obliterate

To wipe out completely; to do away with, leaving no trace.

pugnacious

Combative; eager to fight.

pulverize

To pound, crush, or grind into powder or dust.

stagnant

Stale and foul because of lack of movement.

aficionado

An enthusiastic fan or admirer.

bravado

False bravery; a boastful display of courage.

embargo

A government order preventing trade with another country.

flotilla

A small fleet of boats or ships.

hacienda

A large estate or ranch, especially the main house.

incommunicado

Without a way to communicate.

junta

A group of military leaders who seize and hold power over a country.

peccadillo

A small fault, often habitual.

peon

An unskilled laborer or farm worker.

renegade (noun)

An outlaw, rebel, deserter, or traitor.

renegade (adjective)

Abandoning a cause, group, or principle.

appreciable

Noticeable; able to be perceived or estimated.

breadth

Width; distance from side to side.

copious

Plentiful; abundant.