UNIT 1 Vocab

aprobation (n)

aprobation (n)

the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval or sanction.

Ex: The coach’s approbation was the highlight of the player’s practice

assuage (v)

to make an unpleasant feeling less intense: to relieve; to quiet, calm.  

Ex: The doctor tried to assuage the patient’s fear by explaining the procedure in detail. 

coalition (n)

a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose; an alliance for combined action. 

Ex:  The coalition of environmental groups worked together to pass new legislation. 

 

elicit (v)

to evoke or draw out a response or reaction.

Ex:  The comedian’s joke elicited laughter from the audience.

expostulate (v)

to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning; to express strong disapproval or disagreement.

Ex: He expostulated with his friend about the risks of quitting his job without another offer.

hackneyed (adj)

overused and unoriginal; clichéd. 

Ex:  The movie’s plot was so hackneyed that I could predict the ending from the very beginning

hiatus (n)

a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process.

Ex:  After a brief hiatus, Taylor Swift will return to the Eras Tour in the fall.

innuendo (n)

a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense).

Ex: The teacher’s comment about the importance of punctuality was a subtle innuendo aimed at the students who frequently arrived late to class

intercede (v)

to plead on behalf of someone else, to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement.

Ex: She decided to intercede on behalf of her friend during the argument.

jaded (adj)

tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something.

Ex: After years of working long hours with little recognition, Maria became jaded and lost her passion for the job she once loved. 

meritorious (adj)

worthy, deserving recognition and praise.

Ex: Her meritorious service in the community earned her the city’s highest honor.

petulant (adj)

easily irritated and upset; Childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

Ex: The petulant child refused to eat his vegetables. 

prerogative (n)

a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class.

Ex: As the CEO, he had the prerogative to make final decision

provincial (adj)

pertaining to an outlying area; narrow-minded or limited in perspective.     

   Ex: The small town had a provincial charm, with its quaint shops and traditional festivals, but its residents were often seen as narrow-minded by those from the city. 

simulate (v)

to imitate the appearance or character of something.

Ex: The flight simulator was designed to simulate real flying conditions. 

trasncend (v)

to go beyond the limits of something; to exceed.

Ex: Her ability to transcend cultural barriers made her an excellent diplomat. 

umbrage (n)

offense, resentment, or annoyance.

Ex: He took umbrage at her sarcastic remark. 

abhor (v)

to hate;  to regard with disgust and hatred.

Ex: She abhors violence in any form

antipathy (v)

intense dislike.

Ex: There was a strong antipathy between the two rivals. 

active voice

A sentence structure where the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.  Active voice usually preferred in writing because it expresses more energy and command of the ess sentence "The cat chased the mouse," the active voice is used because the subject (the cat)- is performing the action (chased). 

Ex: "I came, I saw, I conquered." — Julius Caesar  

This quote uses active voice, with the subject "I" performing the actions of coming, seeing, and conquering. 

ad hominem

A type of argument that attacks the person rather than the argument itself.  It is a common fallacy, especially during an election year. For example: His ad hominem attack on his opponent's character did not address the real issues of the debate. 

Ex: "You are all stinking cowards, you and your men." — Homer, The Iliad 

This is an ad hominem attack where the focus is on insulting the character rather than engaging in a logical argument.

allegory

A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities.  

Ex: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." — George Orwell, Animal Farm   

Animal Farm is an allegory of the Rus

allusion

An indirect reference that recalls another work, another time in history, another famous person, and so forth. Allusions are always important and begin a literary ripple effect. For example: Her comment about receiving a golden ticket was an allusion to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Ex: "The two knitting women increased his anxiety by gazing at him and all the other sailors with knowing unconcern. Their eerie looks suggested that they knew what was going to happen, and it was bad." — Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness 

This passage contains an allusion to the Greek Fates, who spin the destinies of men. 

anadipolosis

A rhetorical device in which the last word or phrase of one clause, sentence, or line is repeated at the beginning of the next, creating a connection of ideas important to the author’s purpose. 

Ex:  “The Furies pursued the men. The men were chased by their nightmares. The nightmares awakened everyone in the room.”—Francis Baco

analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. For example: Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer—this analogy highlights the power of writing. 

Ex:  "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet 

This analogy compares the name of a person to the scent of a rose, suggesting that a name does not change the essence of what something is. 

anaphora

A rhetorical device that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings of neighboring clauses, thereby lending them emphasis. 

Ex:  “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.”— Winston Churchill. 

anecdote

A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event.  The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person. 

Ex:  “As a child, I always thought that the great Wall of China was built to keep out dragons. I remember reading that it was the longest wall in the world and thinking that it must have been built to protect the people from something as magical as dragons.” — From The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan 

In this anecdote, Amy Tan reflects on a childhood belief, using it to illustrate the narrator's 

Imaginative thinking and cultural context. 

antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause, referred to by a pronoun.  The AP Language exam 

occasionally asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of  

sentences. In the sentence “The dog chased its tail,” “dog” is the antecedent of the pronoun “its.” 

Ex: "My father’s favorite quotation is 'Give me liberty, or give me death!' He has lived by those words all his life." 

"My father" is the antecedent to "he," which refers back to the father. 

antistrophe

A rhetorical device that involves the repetition of the same words at the end of consecutive phrases, clauses, sentences, and paragraphs.  

Ex:  “In 1931, ten years ago, Japan invaded Manchukuo -- without warning. In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia -- without warning. In 1938, Hitler occupied Austria -- without warning. In 1939, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia -- without warning. Later in 1939, Hitler invaded Poland -- without warning. And now Japan has attacked Malaya and Thailand -- and the United States --without warning.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt  

antithesis

A rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to 

achieve a contrasting effect. 

Ex: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." — Charles Dickens, *A Tale of Two Cities 

This quote contrasts opposite ideas within the same sentence, exemplifying antithesi