AP Lang Vocab- Summer Verbs

abase

To lower someone in rank, status, or self-esteem; (n) the act of humiliating

abridge

To reduce or lessen

acclaim

to publically acknowledge or applaud, (n) an enthusiastic approval, expression of enthusiasm

acquiesce

To assent or comply without protest; agree

alleviate

To make easier to endure; lessen; mitigate

assuage

To soothe, moderate, or relieve; to satisfy

augment

To make larger in size, number, strength, or extent; (v) - to raise by a half step

beguile

To mislead through trickery; to charm in a good way; implies a sense of enchantment.

belabor

To harp or overexplain something excessively; to beat someone vigorously.

buttress

To support or prop; a constructions built to support a wall, a pier; an external prop or support.

cajole

To persuade by flattery or pleasing talk to do what one wants; coax.

capitulate

To surrender, often under agreed conditions

censure

To criticize or reproach in a harsh manner; strong expression of disapproval; an official reprimand, especially by a legislative body.

Circumscribe

To limit or restrict; to draw a geometric construction around.

Coalesce

To unite or come together in one body or mass; merge; fuse; blend.

Contrive

To plot or plan, manage with either treachery or ingenuity.

Delineate

To trace the shape or outline of; to represent pictorially; to portray in words with great detail.

Discern

To recognize or perceive clearly, having ability to distinguish clearly.

Disdain

To look upon or treat with contempt, to think unworthy of notice; (n) a feeling of contempt for superiority & dislike.

disparage

To belittle or degrade a person or idea.

dissent

To disagree with the majority opinion. (n) a difference of opinion; the voicing of a minority opinion; Christianity separation from an established church

elicit

To bring forth, give rise to, evoke a response of some sort.

elucidate

To make clear or explain something obscure or difficult

eradicate

To remove or destroy; to pull up by the roots.

exemplify

To show or illustrate by example; to transcribe or copy in law.

extemporize

To improvise, especially without preparation.

foster

To promote the growth or development of. (adj) indicating a relationship not through birth

impede

To restrict or retard in action, progress.

implicate

To connect or involve in something; to imply as a necessary circumstance.

impugn

To call into question or attack as wrong.

inured

To become accustomed by frequent exposure, especially something bad.

kindle

To start a burn or light; to arouse. (n) - a portable electronic device to read

laud

To praise, extol, or glorify, usually in a very public or highly approving manner.

lionize

To treat as or make into a celebrity

mitigate

To become milder; lessen in severity.

mollify

To lessen or reduce the unpleasantness of someone/leaders/tensions.

obfuscate

To make something unclear or hard to understand, especially deliberately.

obscure

To make unclear, vague; to cover. (V) lacking in light or illumination

patronize

To behave or treat in a condescending way; to act as a paying customer/supporter of a business. (n) a customer, especially a regular one.

remonstrate

To present reasons in complaint; to plead in protest.

rectify

To correct, fix, or make something right; to determine or change a curve.

renounce

To give up or disown voluntarily or formally.

safeguard

To guard, protect, secure. (n) a person or thing that serves as protection; a permit for safe passage.

squander

To waste something valuable in a reckless, foolish manner. (n) an extravagant dissipation.

stymie

To obstruct or hinder. (n) a situation to discourage any attempt to deal with a difficulty.

subjugate

To bring under complete control; conquer; master.

substantiate

To establish as valid or genuine with proof; to affirm as having substance.

undermine

To weaken, damage or make something less effective; to make an excavation under.

vacillate

To fluctuate in one's opinion; be indecisive; to sway side to side; waver.

vindicate

To clear of guilt or blame, to prove an action or idea was justified.