The Scarlet Letter Vocab #1

ponderous

(adj.) Slow and clumsy because of great weight. Synonyms: clumsy, slow, heavy, awkward

inauspicious

(adj.) Not prosperous or not promising. Synonyms: unpromising, unfavorable

evanescent

(adj.) Tending to vanish, like vapor. Synonyms: vanishing, fading, evaporating, disappearing

ignominy

(n.) Disgraceful or dishonorable conduct, quality, or action. Synonyms: shame, humiliation, embarrassment

abate

(v.) To put an end to or lessen. Synonyms: subside, lessen, ease off

lurid

(adj.) Gruesome

sensational. Synonyms: trashy, cheap, tasteless, revolting, hideous

amenable

(adj.) Willing to yield

agreeable. Synonyms: compliant, responsive, persuadable

paramour

(n.) A lover, especially the illicit partner of a married person. Synonyms: lover, beloved, mistress

plebeian

(adj.) Of the common people

lacking in refinement. Synonyms: lower class, common

uncultured, unrefined

emolument

(n.) A salary, fee, or profit from employment or office. Synonyms: payment, fee, salary

efficacy

(n.) Effectiveness. Synonyms: effectiveness, success, potency

enmity

(n.) Established hatred. Synonyms: hostility, resentment, antagonism, friction

intrinsic

(adj.) Originating or situated within. Synonyms: inherent, innate, natural

imperious

(adj.) Commanding

dominant. Synonyms: commanding, authoritative

adduce

(v.) To bring forward as evidence. Synonyms: cite, quote, mention, put forward, call out

vehemence

(n.) The display of strong feeling

passion. Synonyms: passion, force, ardor

countenance

(v.) To extend approval or toleration of. Synonyms: tolerate, permit, allow

incantations

(n.) Chants

verbal charms. Synonyms: chants, magic spells, recitations

propagate

(v.) To spread and promote an idea widely. Synonyms: publicize, spread, circulate

somniferous

(adj.) Hypnotic

tending to induce sleep. Synonyms: sleep

inducing, soporific

latent

(adj.) Present but not visible. Synonyms: undiscovered, unrevealed, unexpressed

odious

(adj.) Deserving of hatred. Synonyms: revolting, repulsive, repellent

dank

(adj.) Cold and damp. Synonyms: damp, musty, chilly

replete

(adj.) Fully or abundantly provided or filled. Synonyms: filled, full, crammed

scurrilous

(adj.) Grossly and offensively abusive. Synonyms: abusive, derogatory, insultin