Second Quarter English Vocab

Acquiescent

an agreement, usually a willingness to go along with what someone else suggests

Amorphous

being without definite character, form, or nature : unclassifiable

Archaic

a word, phrase, or style that is from an earlier time and now rarely used, but is still understood

Avarice

excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain: greed

Bumptious

being offensively self-assertive, arrogant, or conceited in a loud and annoying way

Circumspect

cautious, discreet, or prudent by carefully considering all possible circumstances and consequences

consonance

a literary device characterized by the deliberate repetition of consonant sounds within a group of words

Criteria

a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based

Despondent

feeling or showing extreme discouragement, dejection, or depression

Divergence

The point where two things split off from each other/ become different

Endemic

characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment

Eulogize

to speak or write in high praise of

Flaccid

not firm or stiff; also

Garner

to collect something, usually after much work or with difficulty

Hedge

to confine so as to prevent freedom of movement or action : to obstruct with or as if with a barrier

Impede

to interfere with or slow the progress of

Incorrigible

incapable of being corrected or amended

Insipid

lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge : dull

Jaunty

having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner

Latent

existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.

Magnate

a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area

Minute

of small importance/little

Objurgate

rebuke severely; scold

Opulence

ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish

Pernicious

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

Potent

having great power, influence, or effect

Prudent

acting with or showing care and thought for the future

Redolent

strongly reminiscent or suggestive of/ or aromatic

Rotund

Full in tone or speaking style

Sententious

given to moralizing (critical view of right/wrong) in a pompous or affected manner

Stymie

thwart or stump; to cause to fail or to leave hopelessly puzzled, confused, or stuck

Tantamount

equivalent in seriousness/significance to; virtually the same as

Trepidation

a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen

vagrant

a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by asking for money or food.

Waive

relinquish (something, such as a legal right) voluntarily

acrimony

bitterness or ill feeling

analogous

comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

assiduous

showing great care and perseverance -persistent effort

banal

so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

capacious

containing or capable of containing a great deal

cloister

place of spiritual retreat/isolation -escape from worldly life

conviction

a formal finding of guilt for a crime / firmly held belief or opinion

decadence

moral/cultural decay/ excessive luxury/indulgance

dilatory

slow to act/procrastinate/ intending to cause delay

doleful

expressing grief; mournful

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time/fleeting

exalt

hold (someone or something) in very high regard; think or speak very highly of / dignify

foresight

the ability to anticipate and plan for the future by considering the consequences of present actions

glutton

person who consumes in excess

homogeneous

consisting of parts all of the same kind / sharing similar characteristics

impudence

quality of being disrespectful, rude, often acting with bold or shameless disregard for authority

inert

lacking the ability or strength to move/ inactive

insolvent

unable to pay debts owed

jocular

fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful / with the intention of humor

loathe

feel intense dislike or disgust for

malleable

able to be shaped / pliable

myriad

countless or extremely great in number

obsolete

no longer in use or no longer useful

paltry

(of an amount) small or meager amount / insignificant or low value

pithy

concise and forcefully expressive/ brief, forceful, meaningful

predilection

a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something / partiality

qualify

to limit or modify a statement by adding conditions or exceptions, making it more specific or less absolute

relevancy

the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate

sardonic

grimly mocking or cynical

solemn

formal and dignified/ characterized by deep sincerity

succinct

(especially of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed

terse

sparing in the use of words; abrupt

undermine

lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously

verbose

using or expressed in more words than are needed

wastrel

a wasteful or good-for-nothing person

ambidextrous

(of a person) able to use the right and left hands equally well

antithesis

a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else/ rhetorical device putting a pair of two opposite ideas together 

atrophy

gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect

blight

a thing that spoils or damages something

caustic

sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way/  able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action

concise

giving the relevant or necessary information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive.

copious

abundant in supply or quantity.

deride

express contempt for; ridicule

discord

disagreement between people

efficacy

the ability to produce a desired or intended result

erudition

the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship

extol

praise enthusiastically

frugal

sparing or economical with regard to money or food

hamper

hinder or impede the movement or progress of

immutable

unchanging over time or unable to be changed

incongruous

not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something / out of place

ingenuous

(of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting

irreverent

showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously.

kindle

arouse or inspire (an emotion or feeling)/ excite

loquacious

tending to talk a great deal; talkative

meticulous

showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise

nuance

a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound

ominous

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious

paucity

the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity

platitude

a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful

prodigious

remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree

ratify

sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid

repudiate

refuse to accept or be associated with/ deny the truth or validity of

scrupulous

(of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details/ concerned to avoid wrongdoing

specious

superficially plausible, but actually wrong