Semster 1 - Honors World Literature and Composition - Vocabulary and Grammar Rules

Acquisitive (adj.)

Able to get and retain ideas or information concerned with acquiring wealth and/or property

Abrogate (verb)

To take or claim without the right to do so

Banal (Adj.)

Overused, commonplace

Belabor (verb)

To work on or push excessively

Carping (Adj/noun)

Tending to find fault in others, often in a petty, nasty way; petty, nagging criticism

Coherent (adj.)

Holding or sticking together, comprehensible or meaningful

Congeal (verb)

To change from a liquid to a solid, to make inflexible or rigid

Emulate (verb)

To imitate someone or something with the intent of equaling or surpassing

Encomium (noun)

A formal expression of praise

Eschew (verb)

To avoid, shun, or keep away from

Germane (adjective)

Relevant, appropriate, fitting

Insatiable (adj)

Having a need or want so great it cannot be satisfied

Intransigent (adj)

Refusing to compromise

Invidious (adj)

Offensive, hateful, causing bitterness

Largess (noun)

Generosity in giving, lavish contributions

Reconnaissance (noun)

A survey for military purposes, any preliminary examination

Substantiate (verb)

To establish through evidence

Taciturn (adj)

Habitually silent or quiet

Temporize (verb)

To stall or act evasively in order to gain time

Tenable (adj)

Capable of being held or defended

Accost (verb)

To confront in a challenging or aggressive way

Animadverion (noun)

A comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

Avid (adj)

Wanting something to the point of greed, intensely eager

Brackish (adj)

Having a salty and unpleasant taste to drink

Celerity (noun)

Swiftness or rapidity in motion or action

Devious (adj)

Done in a shifty or underhanded manner

Gambit (noun)

An opening move that involves risk or sacrifice in order to gain a later advantage

Halcyon (adj)

Calm, peaceful, or happy

Histrionic (adj)

Pertaining to actors and their techniques, theatrical

Incendiary (adj)

Tending to stir up controversy, anger, or rebellion

Maelstrom (noun)

A whirlpool of great size and violence

Myopic (adj)

Nearsighted

Overt (adj)

Open or not hidden

Pejorative (adj)

Tending to make worse, expressing disapproval

Propriety (noun)

The state or act of being proper

Sacrilege (noun)

Improper and disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

Summarily (adverb)

Without delay or formality

Suppliant (adj/noun)

asking humbly and earnestly; one who makes a humble request

Talisman (noun)

An object that serves as a lucky charm or is believed to have magical powers

Undulate (verb)

To move in a wavelike motion

Articulate (verb/adj)

To pronounce distincivley, clearly, and forcefully; expressed clearly and forcefully

Cavort (verb)

To hop or prance around excitedly

Credence (noun)

A belief or mental acceptance of something

Decry (verb)

To condemn or express strong disapproval of

Dissemble (verb)

To disguise or conceal

Distraught (adj)

Very much agitated or upset due to mental conflict

Eulogy (noun)

A formal statement of high praise given at a funeral

Evince (verb)

To display clearly

Exhume (verb)

To remove from a grave, to bring an issue to light

Feckless (adj)

Lacking in spirit or strength