great gatsby vocabulary

reserved (adj.)

formal or self-restrained in manner and relationship; avoiding familiarity or intimacy with others

privy (adj.)

participating in the knowledge of something private or secret

(usually followed by "to")

feign (verb)

to make believe; pretend

levity (noun)

a manner lacking seriousness

mar (verb)

to damage, ruin, deface

abortive (adj.)

particularly or imperfectly developed; vain

elation (noun)

a feeling or state of great joy or pride; exultant gladness; high spirits

confer (verb)

(1) to bestow upon as a gift, favor, honor; (2) to consult together

acute (adj.)

sharp; intense

savor (verb)

to taste or smell

reproach (noun)

an object of scorn or contempt

wistful (adj.)/wistfully (adv.)

full of wishful yearning or longing, often with sadness

supercilious (adj.)

having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy; cocky

effeminate (adj.)

having traits, tastes, or habits traditionally considered feminine

pungent (adj.)

sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell

buoy (verb)

to float or rise by reason of lightness

divan (noun)

sofa or couch, usually without arms or a back

compulsion (noun)

a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, especially one that is irrational or contrary to one's will

deft (adj.)

quick and skillful

retort (verb)

to reply to, usually in a sharp or retaliatory way

incredulous (adj.)/incredulously (adv.)

skeptical; disbelieving

reciprocal (adj.)

given or felt by each toward the other; mutual

contemptuous (adj.)/contemptuously (adv.)

showing or feeling disapproval or disdain toward something a person considers mean, vile, or worthless; scornful

languid (adj.)/languidly (adv.)

lacking energy or vitality; weak

unobtrusive (adj.)/unobtrusively (adv.)

not desirable noticeable or obvious

claret (noun)

the red table wine produced in the bordeaux region of france

fervent (adj.)

having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm

infinitesimal (adj.)

immeasurably small; less than an assignable quantity

vigil (noun)

a devotional watching, or keeping away, during the customary hours of sleep

settee (noun)

a seat for two or more persons, having a back and arms

cynical (adj.)

distrusting, criticizing, or mocking the motives of others; pessimistic; glass is half empty mentality

rotogravure (noun)

a print made by a photomechanical process using a copper cylinder

corroborate (verb)

to make more certain; to give or represent evidence of the truth of something; to confirm

libel (noun)

a false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation

banns (noun)

any public announcement of a proposed marriage

intimidation (noun)/intimidate (verb)

an indirect suggestion; a slight suggestion or vague understanding

grotesque (adj.)

fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre

impenetrable (adj.)

dense; cannot be penetrated, pierced, entered, etc.

wag (noun)

witty person who likes to make jokes

oculist (noun)

an eye docter

borough (noun)

district

solemn (adj.)

formal; serious; sober; lacking humor or happiness

proprietor (noun)

property owner; business manager

anemic (adj.)

weak; lacking power, vigor, vitality; wishy-washy

facet (noun)

aspect; feature

perceptible (adj.)

noticeable; recognizable

vitality (noun)

liveliness; energy (physical and/or mental); spirit; vigor

smoldering (adj.)

burning

discreet (adj.)

marked by caution, prudence, or modesty and wise self-restraint; subtle

defer (adj.)

to yield respectfully in judgment or opinion to another

(usually followed by "to")

muslin (noun)

delicately woven cotton fabric

indeterminate (adj.)

indefinite, uncertain; not clear

haughty (adj.)

snooty; arrogant

countenance (noun)

appearance, especially the face

rakish (adj.)

dashingly or sportingly stylish

incessant (adj.)

never-ending, ceaseless

innumerable (adj.)

countless; very numerous

immoderately (adv.)

without restraint; excessive; extreme

shrill (adj.)

high-pitched

hauteur (noun)

pride, arrogance; cockiness

mincing (adj.)

daintly, elegant

disdain (verb/noun)

to despise or scorn/haughty contempt, extreme dislike; scorn

shiftless (adj.)

lazy, without ambition

flounce (verb)

to go with impatient or impetuous, exaggerated movements

kike/kyke (noun)

offensive slang for a jewish person

strident (adj.)

loud, harsh, grating, or shrill

omnibus (noun)

a bus or long motor vehicle

fortnight (noun)

fourteen nights; two weeks

harlequin (adj.)

fancy variation in color; a mute character in traditional pantomime, typically masked in a diamond-pattern costume

cordials (noun)

liqueur; tonics

permeate (verb)

to fill up, seep into; to satuarate

innuendo (noun)

an indirect hint or suggestion about a person or thing, especially of an insulting or an offensive nature

prodigality (noun)

extravagant wastefulness

erroneous (adj.)

incorrect; wrong

eddies (plural noun)

a current moving in the opposite direction of the main current

vehement (adj.)/vehemently (adv.)

strongly passionate or emotion; often with anger

cordial (adj.)

friendly; warm

homogeneity (noun)

uniformity; being similar

staid (adj.)

(1) serious; straight-laced; (2) permanent; fixed

spectroscopic (adj.)

full spectrum of color and light

veranda (noun)

a porch or balcony

ascertain (verb)

to determine; to make certain or clear

contralto (noun)

lowest female vocal range in opera

vacuous (adj.)

empty; lacking ideas or intelligence; stupid

florid (adj.)

(1) a healthy reddish color, as in cheeks; (2) elaborately ornate; decorated

corpulent (adj.)

plump; large or bulky in body

echolalia (noun)

immediate, uncontrollable repetition of words spoken by others

jauntiness (noun)/jaunty (adj.)

perky; confident; carefree

obstetrical (adj.)

relating to childbirth

implore (verb)

to beg urgently

inept (adj.)/ineptly (adv.)

lacking skill; awkward; clumsy

vinous (adj.)

of or relating to wine

asunder (adv.)

separated into pieces; apart from each other

dissension (noun)

disagreement; sharp difference of opinion

deplorable (adj.)/deplorably (adv.)

causing grief, regret, or disapproval

indignant (adj.)

angry; annoyed

malevolence (noun)

a desire to harm others; evil

enjoined (verb)

(1) to urge or command with authority; (2) to forbid

caterwauling (adj.)

a howl that sounding like a cat in heat

chasms (noun)

deep crack or hole