The Scarlet Letter Vocabulary

Abate

If something bad or undesirable ____, it becomes much less strong or severe

can diminish the root cause

Amenable

If you are _____ to something, you are willing to do it or accept it.

Colloquial

______ words and phrases are informal and are used mainly in conversation

Edifice

An ______ is a large and impressive building

Effervescent

An _______ liquid is one that contains or releases bubbles of gas.

If you describe someone as ______, you mean that they are lively, entertaining, enthusiastic, and exciting.

Enigmatic

Someone or something that is ______ is mysterious and difficult to understand.

Erudite

If you describe someone as ____, you mean that they have or show great academic knowledge.

You can also use _____ to describe something, such as a book or a style of writing.

more book smart

Exigencies

The _______ of a situation or a job are the demands or difficulties that you have to deal with as part of it.

Expiate

If you _____ guilty feelings or bad behavior, you do something to indicate that you are sorry for what you have done.

Extant

If something is _____, it is still in existence, in spite of being very old.

Ignominy

_________ is a shame or public disgrace

Loquacious

If you describe someone as ______, you mean that they talk a lot

Misanthrope

A _______ is a person who does not like other people.

Mutability

If you describe the ______ of someone or something, you are referring to its ability to be altered or its tendency of changing

Necromancy

_______ is magic that some people believe brings a dead person back to this world so that you can talk to them.

Odious

If you describe people or things as _____, you think that they are hateful or disgusting.

Palliate

A medicine or drug can _____ suffering without treating the cause of the suffering.

Someone may attempt to _______ a problem by taking an action that is intended to make the effects of the problem less severe but does not actually solve the problem.

measures taken to relieve but does not address to the root cause(s)

Pithy

A ______ comment or piece of writing is short, direct, and full of meaning.

Propinquity

If you describe the ___________ of someone or something, you are referring to their nearness to you in location or time.

________ can also describe a close relationship to someone or something.

Tempestuous

If you describe a relationship or situation as ________, you mean that very strong and intense emotions, especially anger, are involved.

Sagacious

A ________ person is intelligent and has the ability to make good decisions

more street smart

Scurrilous

__________ accusations or stories are untrue and unfair, and are likely to damage the reputation of the person that they related to.

Sedulous

If you describe someone as ______ you are complimenting them because they do not give up or because they work hard to carefully persevere in the completion of a task.

Venerate

If you ______ someone or something, you value them or feel great respect for them.

Vicissitude

You can use __________ to refer to a change, especially an unpleasant one, that happens to someone or something at different times in their life or development.