cumulative set

promptitude

the quality of acting quickly and without delay

superfluous

extra; unnecessary

monetary

relating to money

emphatic

forceful; insistent

digression

departure from the main subject; tangent

lofty

very high or elevated

condescension

an attitude of patronizing superiority; disdain

antagonistic

hostile; opposing or disliking

sneer

hateful or mocking smile

provocation

something that causes anger or action

sublime

awe inspiring; transcendent; profoundly beyond description

callous

unfeeling, indifferent

sadistic

taking pleasure in causing pain to others

approbation

approval or praise

effusiveness

excessive display of emotion

connoisseur

expert

imputation

accusation; attribution

begrundgingly

reluctantly or resentfully

concurrence

agreement; situation of multiple events happening at the same time

pragmatic

practical; logical; reasonable

sardonic

Grimly mocking or cynical

fecund

Fruitful; fertile; productive

acquiescence

Reluctant acceptance without protest

obdurate

stubborn

pugnacious

Combative; quick to fight or argue

stoic

Calm and/or not showing emotion especially in intense situations

reprieve

Postponement or cancellation of punishment

fatuous

Foolish and pointless

aloof

Indifferent; disinterested; detached

ruminate

Think deeply and carefully

Colloquial

Casual communication style

In medias res

In the middle of things

foil

Contrasting character used to highlight traits of another character

paradox

Statement that is both absurd and true at the same time

satire

Writing that criticizes something using irony, humor, and/or exaggeration

boon

something that is helpful or beneficial; favor

remiss

Negligent; lacking care or attention

exhort

Strongly encourage, persuade, or cause (someone to do something)

bereft

Deprived of or lacking something

melancholy

Thoughtful, gloomy sadness (often with no obvious cause)

asyndeton

omission of conjunctions in a list

polysyndeton

repetition of conjunctions in a list instead of commas

bildungsroman

coming of age story

onomatopoeia

word that sounds like what it describes

oxymoron

self-contradictory phrase

faery

fairy (old fashioned spelling)

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time

mercurial

subject to sudden or unexpected changes

fetters

chains or shackles

jilted

Suddenly rejected or abandoned

monologue

Long speech (from one person to another)

soliloquy

Speaking aloud to oneself

aside

Out of the way

preface

introduction

epilogue

Extra conclusion chapter

perfidious

Deceitful and untrustworthy

austerity

Sternness; severity; discipline

enumerate

To list one by one

patronizing

Condescending; behaving seemingly nicely but as if superior

appellation

Name or title

assonance

repetition of similar vowel sounds

consonance

repetition of similar consonant sounds; harmony; agreement of opinions/actions

dynamic

changing; progressing; active

static

unchanging; inactive; stationary

vainly

unsuccessfully; producing no result; arrogantly; selfishly

fickle

wavering frequently; inconstant; unpredictable

incensed

very angry; enraged

imploring

begging; making an emotional request

onerous

burdensome; intolerable; causing great difficulty or trouble

idyllic

Extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque

foreshadowing

hints or signs of what's to come

foreboding

a feeling that something bad will happen

motif

recurring element; pattern

juxtaposition

side by side placement for emphasis

allegory

Extended metaphor about society and/or human nature

homely

plain, unattractive

dappled

marked with spots or rounded patches

demure

reserved, modest, and shy

lowly

lacking in status, importance, sophistication

starveling

undernourished person or animal

apostrophe

a situation in which a speaker directly address an object, idea, or a person who is dead/nonexistent/not present as if they could actually respond

anaphora

repetition of a word/phrase at the beginning of successive clauses/sentences

alliteration

similar sound used at the beginning of words that are close together

hyperbole

intentional exaggeration not to be taken literally

understatement

an intentional representation of something as less important or intense than it actually is

vacillate

to waver back and forth

fervor

intense or passionate feeling

illicit

forbidden by law, morals, or custom

repose

relax, rest

piety

religious devotion

pastoral

portrayals of retreating from modern cities to unrealistically charming rural life

elegy

memorial; mourning

ode

poem that praises a specific person, place, thing, or event

meditation

reflection

lament

expression of grief for a loss

conceptualize

form/develop an idea

spurned

rejected with disdain/contempt

sensuous

appealing to the senses, especially sexually

assuage

relieve; ease; make (something unpleasant) less severe

novice

beginner; inexperienced person