AP Lit Vocab Set 2

aberration, N

something (such as a problem or a type of behavior) that is unusual or unexpected

aesthetic, N or Adj

of or relating to art or beauty

ameliorate, V

to make something better or less painful

arcane, Adj

known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric

austere, Adj

severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding; without excess, luxury, or ease; simple

blithe, Adj

joyous, merry, or gay in disposition; glad; cheerful; without thought or regard; carefree; heedless

capricious, Adj

subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic

chronic, Adj

continuing a long time or recurring frequently; constant; habitual

condone, V

to give tacit approval to; to disregard or overlook

cursory, Adj

going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial

demeanor, N

conduct; behavior; deportment; facial appearance

dialectical, Adj

or or characteristic of a dialect

disparage, V

to bring reproach or discredit upon; lower the estimation of; to depreciate or belittle

ebb, V

the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea; a point of decline

embroil, V

to bring into discord or conflict; involve in contention or strife; to throw into confusion or complicate

erudite, Adj

characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly

expedite, V

to speed up the progress of; hasten; to accomplish promptly

fetter, N or V

a chain or shackle placed on the feet; anything that confines or restrains

furtive, Adj

taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret; sly; shifty

harbinger, N

a person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; herald; anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign

ignominy, N

disgrace; dishonor; public contempt; shameful or dishonorable quality

implausible, Adj

not plausible; not having the appearance of truth or credibility

indefatigable, Adj

incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring

insouciance, N

lack of care or concern; indifference

jargon, N

the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group; any talk or writing that one does not understand

levity, N

lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness

mellifluous, Adj

sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet-sounding; flowing with honey; sweetened with or as if with honey

myriad, N or Adj

a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things; ten thousand; **can be used as n. or adj.

officious, Adj

objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice; meddlesome

peccadillo, N

a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault

philistine, N or Adj

lacking in or hostile to culture, or someone exhibiting such behavior

preclude, V

to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible

promulgate, V

to make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation; to set forth or teach publicly

raconteur, N

a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly

remonstrate, V

to say or plead in protest, objection, or disapproval

resilient, Adj

returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched; springing back; rebounding; recovering from illness

sardonic, Adj

characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical; sneering

solicitous, Adj

anxious or concerned; eager; particular

stoic, Adj

free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, submitting without complaint to unavoidable necessity; ** n. or adj.

surfeit, N or V

excess; an excessive amount; often an excess of food or drink

tedious, Adj

wordy so as to cause weariness or boredom, as a speaker or writer; long and tiresome

truculent, Adj

fierce; cruel; savagely brutal; aggressively hostile, belligerent

unremitting, Adj

not slackening or abating; incessant

verbose, Adj

characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy

vitriolic, Adj

very caustic; scathing