AP Lit - Vocab Unit 1A

adulation

ex. he enjoyed the adulation of his fans

noun; excessive admiration or praise

allay

ex. fortunately, I was able to allay his fears on that score"

verb; to diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, worry)

brazen

ex. it was a brazen attempt to rig the result

adjective; bold and without shame

callous

ex.don't be so callous; show him some sympathy

adjective; showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others

capricious

ex.It is capricious and fickle, changing moods easily.

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

compunction

ex. You will kill without compunction and die without complaint.

noun; a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad

didactic

ex. he composed the works for didactic purposes

adjective; intended to teach/speak to, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

ignominious

ex. the party risked ignominious defeat

adjective; deserving or causing public disgrace or shame

impetus

ex. the debate seems to have lost much of its impetus

noun; the force or energy with which a body moves, something that begins a response or reaction

lassitude

ex. she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed"

noun; a state of physical or mental weariness, lack of energy

moribund

ex. One patient was moribund at presentation and died 4 days later

adjective; (of a person) at the point of death, looking as though you are near death

nefarious

ex. the nefarious activities of the organized-crime syndicates"

adjective; action or activity that is wicked or criminal

pecuniary

ex. he admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception

adjective; relating to or consisting of money

prostrate

ex. They prostrated themselves before their king

adjective; lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward

retinue

ex. the rock star's retinue of security guards and personal cooks

noun; a group of advisers, assistants, or others accompanying an important person

subversive

ex. these subversive elements were regarded as a danger to society

adjective; seeking or intended to subvert an established system or insitution

surfeit

ex. we've been left with a surfeit of oranges"

noun; an excessive amount of something

suppliant

ex. he flung himself to his knees, bowed his head, and stretched out his arms like a suppliant.

noun; a person making a humble plea to someone in power/authority

vacillate

ex. She vacillates between studying economics and languages

verb; alternate or waver between different opinions or actions aka indecivsive

vacuous

ex. He had a vacuous expression on his face

adjective; having or showing a lack of though or intelligence