Vocabulary | Jefferson & Hamilton: Best of Enemies

Ministerial Stint

in charge of for a certain period

Wunderkind

a young person w/ many achievements

Judiciary

relating to or involving a judge

Formidable

stronger; best-equipped (for something)

Ardent

passionate

“Penned the bulk”

wrote most of (something)

Spearheaded

led; guided

Ratification

approval

Gusto

enjoyment in something

Tepid

half-hearted; unconvincing

“Ideological Inhibition”

limitations regarding a way of thinking

Brash

overbearingly energetic

Orator

public speaker

Extemporaneously

well-prepared for and off-the-cuff

Copious

extensive; various

Host

an army

Promiscuously

recklessly; thoughtlessly

Zest

passion

“Scathing strictures”

intense criticisms

Olympian

referring to a god of Mt. Olympus; powerful or superior

Contentious

involving intense arguing

Audacious

bold

Enshrine

keep safe; store away

Cardinal

critical; most important

Incurred

to receive (something)

Rapacious

aggressive; hungry; crazy/mad

Skirmish

small altercation

Idyllic

ideal; aligns w/ beliefs

Agrarian

involving agriculture; farm life

Yeoman (Farmer)

owner of a small, independent farm

Populist

wants to please working class people who are snubbed by elites

Inextricably

caught inside

Pseudo-

faux

Elitist

believes upper class should hold more power

Crypto-monarchist

secretly wanted a monarchy

Rudiments

foundation; basic form

Meritocracy

gov’t based on merit; people w/ good merit are put in power

Aristocracy

gov’t led by the wealthy

Gentry

people almost like nobility

Disdain

feeling someone'/thing is unworthy

Vulgar

lacking sophistication or good taste

Juggernaut

powerful force

Sonorous

rememberable; resonating

Consummate

complete or perfect; of a high skill degree

Divulging

giving away

Aghast

shocked; appalled

Construed

interpreted

Perilous

dangerous

Subsidize

fund; support financially

Flagrant

obvious

Pseudonyms

aliases; faux names

Backbiting

indirect attacks

Acrimonious

bitter

Exhort

strongly encourage to no do something wrong

Harry

to harass or bombard

“Prodigious bursts of energy”

large, impressive surges in energy

Complied

followed

Foiling

ruining the plans of another

Maladministration

faulty supervision; failing to do duties properly

Oust

to cast out

Fester

worstens

Bewitched

caught up in a spell

Credulous

too ready to believe in things

Apologist

someone who defends certain ideas

“gory excesses of the French Revolution”

refers to the violent practices of the French (guillotine)

Huguenots

French Protestants who were persecuted in Catholic France and fled N. America

Liaison

someone who aides/represents another

Marquis

Nobleman above a Count and below a Duke

“rigid, Utopian thinking”

strict, idealistic thinking

foreboding

the sense something bad will happen

Vehement

malicious; villainous

Reveries

celebrations

Grotesque

ugly; horrid

Travesty

a mockery (of something)

Cynicism

belief people are motivated by their interests alone

Invariably

often

Coyly

pretending to be unaware (of something)

“Proffered diadem”

offered a little crown

Tenaciously

(doing something) with firm determination

“Imperial domination”

supreme rule

Potent

strong

Hedonism

belief that personal pleasure is the primary goal in life

Facade

misleading appearance

Grifter

a sneaky con woman

“Inordinate length”

not ordinary; not the right quantity (Hamilton submitted a 95-pg. confession pamphlet)

Illicit

negative; unlawful

Alleged

an unproven accusation

Amorous

lustful

Pretensions

imagined/pretended belief

Concubine

mistress

Bolstered

strengthened

Sired

fathered (usually used in reference to animals, instead of people)

Crowning

the head of (something); significant

Anomolous

unusual

Unscrupulous

Root word - scruples (principles)

Lacking principles

Deplored

to discredit or express dislike of

Constructionist

someone who can put things together

Rueful

regretful

Mirth

amusement