Quarter 1 Literature Vocab

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure

amity

a friendly relationship

arrogant

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

averse

having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

bolster

support or strengthen; prop up

clemency

mercy; lenience

contingent

subject to change / occurring or existing only if (certain circumstances) occur

cupidity

greed for money or possessions

desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

dissolution

the closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership, or official body

emulate

match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

garish

obtrusively bright and showy; lurid.

heed

pay attention to; take notice of

impetuous

acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

incredulous

(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.

jeopardy

danger of loss, harm, or failure

legacy

the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.

malefactor

a person who commits a crime or some other wrong.

mitigate

make less severe, serious, or painful.

nurture

care for and encourage the growth or development of.

optimist

a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something.

pervade

(especially of a smell) spread through and be perceived in every part of.

preclude

prevent from happening; make impossible.

proximity

nearness in space, time, or relationship.

recluse

a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.

revere

feel deep respect or admiration for (something).

seditious

inciting or causing people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.

stealth

cautious and surreptitious action or movement.

tangent

a completely different line of thought or action.

trite

(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.

vacillate

alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive.

wane

Become weaker / (of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.

affable

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.

antiquated

old-fashioned or outdated.

assail

make a concerted or violent attack on.

belie

(of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict. / fail to fulfill

candor

the quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness.

complacent

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.

converge

(of lines) tend to meet at a point.

daunted

make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive.

digress

leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.

dogmatic

expression of opinions very strongly or positively as if they were facts

enigma

a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.

expurgate

remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a text or account

fledgling

a young bird that has just fledged. (still in development)

gravity

extreme or alarming importance; seriousness. / force attracting objects to earth’s center

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

inadvertant

not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning.

infamy

the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed.

intractable

hard to control or deal with.

jubilant

feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

loath

reluctant; unwilling

meager

(of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality.

mundane

lacking interest or excitement; dull.

obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain.

paragon

a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality

phlegmatic

(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.

pretentious

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

quandary

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

reprove

reprimand or censure (someone).

sanction

a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule. / official approval for an action

slander

the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.

subtle

(especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe.

tenacious

tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely.

ubiquitous

present, appearing, or found everywhere.

vapid

offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.

wax

(of the moon) have a progressively larger part of its visible surface illuminated, increasing its apparent size.

alienate

cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged.

arbitrary

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

astute

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.

benign

gentle and kindly. / not harmful disease

censure

express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement.

composure

the state or feeling of being calm and in control of oneself.

cordial

warm and friendly.

deplore

feel or express strong disapproval of (something).

disdain

the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt.

elated

ecstatically happy.

erratic

not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.

extraneous

irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with

fulminate

express intense/passionate protest.

harbor

keep (a thought or feeling, typically a negative one) in one's mind, especially secretly. / shelter or hide (criminal)

imminent

about to happen.

incompatible

(of two things) so opposed in character as to be incapable of existing together.

infer

deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements

irascible

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.

laconic

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.

lucid

expressed clearly; easy to understand.

mellifluous

(of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.

novelty

the quality of being new, original, or unusual. / small ornnament or toy

obtuse

annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.

penury

extreme poverty; destitution.

ponderous

slow and clumsy because of great weight.

profound

(of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense. / showing great insight

rampant

(especially of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading unchecked.

reserve

refrain from using or disposing of (something); retain for future use.

scrutinize

examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

sporadic

occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.