Lang Lit Vocab

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure.

amity

a friendly relationship between people or nations.

arrogant

having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

averse

having a strong dislike or opposition to something.

bolster

to support or strengthen something, often providing additional assistance or encouragement.

clemency

the act of showing mercy or leniency towards someone, particularly in a judicial context.

contingent

subject to the occurrence of a condition or event; dependent on something else.

cupidity

excessive greed for wealth or possessions.

desultory

lacking a definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

dissolution

the official ending, breaking up, or disappearing of something like a formal organization

emulate

to copy someone or something because you respect them

euphemism

a polite word or phrase that is used to replace one that is too harsh

fastidious

giving extreme attention to small details, wanting everything to be perfect

garish

unpleasantly bright, overly showy, or tastelessly decorated

heed

to pay close attention to, usually a piece of advice

impetuous

acting quickly or doing something suddenly without thinking about the results.

incredulous

you cannot or will not believe something

insolent

being boldly rude, disrespectful, or insulting in a way that shows a lack of respect for authority or other people

jeopardy

danger, risk, or harm

legacy

money or property left to someone in a will, or a long-lasting impact handed down from the past

malefactor

a person who breaks the law, commits a crime, or does evil things to others

mitigate

to make a problem, harm, or bad situation less severe, painful, or intense

nurture

to care for, feed, and protect someone or something while helping it grow, develop, or succeed.

optimist

a person who looks at the world with hope

pervade

to spread through every part of something so that it is present and easy to notice everywhere

preclude

to make something impossible or to prevent it from happening

proximity

nearness or closeness in space, time, or relationship

recluse

a person who lives in isolation and avoids other people

revere

to respect and admire someone or something very much, often with a sense of awe

seditious

doing or saying things that make people rise up against the government

stealth

moving or acting in a quiet, hidden, and clever way so that no one notices yo

tangent

a straight line or shape that touches a curve or circle at only one point without crossing it; means suddenly changing the subject to an unrelated topic

trite

something is worn out or clichéd

vacillate

to keep changing your mind, or to stay unsure between two choices or opinions

wane

to slowly get smaller, weaker, or less important over time

affable

friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to

antiquated

very old, out-of-date, and no longer useful or suitable for modern times

assail

to attack someone or something violently, either with physical force, harsh words, or overwhelming feelings

belie

to give a false impression, misrepresent, or show something to be false

candor

the quality of being open, honest, and sincere in speech or expression

complacent

feeling too satisfied with your own-self, your work, or a situation

converge

to move toward the same point, come together, or meet

digress

to wander or stray away from the main topic or purpose when speaking or writing

dogmatic

a person or an approach that strongly states personal opinions or beliefs as if they are absolute facts that cannot be doubted

enigma

a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or hard to understand

expurgate

to remove bad, dirty, or rude parts from a book, play, or piece of writing before people read or see it

fledgling

a young bird that has just grown its flight feathers and is learning how to fly

gravity

the natural force that pulls objects toward each other; It can describe a quiet, serious, or dignified manner in a person

hyperbole

a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration to make a point, show feeling, or be funny

inadvertent

an action or effect that is not planned, intentional, or deliberate

infamy

being famous or well-known for a bad, shameful, or evil action

intractable

hard to control, manage, or solve

jubilant

feeling or showing great joy and excitement, usually because of a win, success, or positive event

loath

unwilling, reluctant, or not wanting to do something

meager

very small, poor, or not enough in amount or quality

mundane

ordinary, dull, or unexciting

obscure

not well-known, hard to understand, or difficult to see

paragon

a person or thing that is a perfect example of a specific quality, excellence, or virtue

phlegmatic

someone who stays calm, cool, and hard to upset or excite

pretentious

trying to look or sound more smart, important, or artistic than you really are to impress people

quandary

a state of not knowing what to do because you have a hard choice to make

reprove

to scold, correct, or express disapproval of someone, usually in a gentle way or with the kindly intent to fix a fault

sanction

It can mean official approval and permission, or it can mean a penalty and punishment used to enforce a rule

slander

a false spoken statement that hurts a person's good name or reputation

subtle

something is delicate, faint, or not immediately obvious

tenacious

being very determined, persistent, and unwilling to give up or let go

ubiquitous

present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time, or seeming as though you can go nowhere without encountering it

vapid

lacking spirit, liveliness, intelligence, or flavor

wax

a diverse class of organic, water-resistant substances that are solid at room temperature but melt into a liquid when heated

alienate

to push someone away, make them feel unwelcome, or cause them to stop supporting or liking yo

arbitrary

based on a random choice, personal whim, or individual preference rather than any reason, system, rule, or law

astute

having or showing a clever mind, good judgment, and the ability to understand situations or people quickly to turn them to your advantage

benign

gentle, kind, mild, or not harmful

censure

a very strong, formal expression of disapproval or criticism.

composure

a steady, calm state of mind

cordial

polite, warm, and friendly

deplore

to feel or express strong disapproval, condemnation, or deep regret for something

disdain

a deep sense of dislike or disrespect

elated

feeling extremely happy, excited, and joyful

erratic

unpredictable, inconsistent, or irregular

extraneous

something is not part of the main topic, not needed, or coming from the outside

fulminate

to shout out loud and angry words to criticize or blame someone or something

harbor

a safe coastal body of water where ships can anchor or dock;to shelter people or objects, hide a fugitive, hold a long-term feeling like a grudge, or contain germs

imminent

something is very likely to happen very soon

incompatible

two or more things cannot exist, work, or be used together because they are too different

infer

figure something out by using clues, facts, and logic instead of being told directly

irascible

a person who gets angry very easily

laconic

using very few words to speak or write

lucid

clear and easy to understand, or able to think clearly and rationally

mellifluous

It describes a sound—like a person's voice, a musical note, or a poem—that flows gently and pleases the ear

novelty

the quality of being new, striking, or unusual

obtuse

slow to understand simple things, or an angle greater than 90 degrees

penury

extreme poverty, destitution, or a severe lack of money and essential resources

ponderous

very heavy, slow and clumsy because of a large mass, or dull and boring

profound

very great, deep, or intense. It describes something that goes far beyond the surface, whether it is a strong emotion like sadness, a major life change, or a very smart idea that shows deep thought and wisdom

rampant

growing or spreading everywhere in a way that is wild, unchecked, and hard to control

reserve

to set something aside for a later time, to book a service or place in advance, or to hold a hidden supply of an item

scrutinize

to examine or inspect something very closely, carefully, and thoroughly

sporadic

happening at irregular intervals, from time to time, or in scattered and isolated places without a clear pattern

surreptitious

It describes an action kept secret because it would likely be disapproved of or to avoid being noticed