AP Lit Allusions - Meanings

Scrooge

a bitter and/or greedy person

Ivory tower

A person who is secluded or protected from the real world and thus out of touch with reality

Catch 22

a lose lose situation

Achilles heel

weak point

All that glitters is not gold

appearances can be deceptive

15 minutes of fame

things that are popular for a short amount of time

Crocodile tears

to show false sympathy for someone

Pandora's box

Something that opens the door for bad occurrences, opened by someone known for curiosity

Nemesis

someone or something a person cannot conquer or achieve; a hated enemy

Albatross Around One's Neck

(two meanings) a seabird; a constant burden

Freudian slip

a verbal mistake that is thought to reveal an unconscious belief, thought, or emotion

Herculean

very difficult; requiring the strength of Hercules

Benedict Arnold

A traitor

Magnum Opus

the greatest work of an artist, writer, or composer

Phoenix

a mythical bird that is revived from its own ashes

Scylla and Charybdis

Two equally dangerous alternatives (caught between a rock and a hard place)

Jekyll and Hyde

A capricious person with two sides to their personality

The Emperor's New Clothes

pointing out the falseness or pretentiousness of something

Machivellian

amoral or unconcerned with what is right and wrong

Narcissus

a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection (self-obsessed)

big brother

a person or organization exercising total control over people's lives.

Einstein

super smart

Watergate

a political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice

Waterloo

Battle in Belgium that was Napoleon's final defeat

Sleep with the fishes

Dead, often by murder

Pooh-bah

a person holding many public or private offices

mercurial

quick, shrewd, and unpredictable

Witch hunt

a campaign against a particular group of people, often those holding unorthodox opinions or behaving in an unconventional manner

Throwing down the gauntlet

issue a challenge in a dramatic manner

El Dorado

a place of reputed wealth; from the legendary city in South America, sought by early Spanish explorers

muse

someone's source of inspiration, especially in artistic, creative endeavors

Frankenstein

anything that threatens or destroys its creator

something that is made up of many differing parts

Handwriting on the wall

indication that doom or misfortune is coming

Stonewall

Holding something back/ obstructing something

Riot Act

A reprimand or a serious warning

Tabula Rasa

This term literally translates into "blank slate." It refers to the idea that humans are born with a blank mind that is filled with information through socialization.

Lothario

a charming young man who seduces and deceives women

Sirens

Creatures whose songs lure sailors to their deaths

Bedlam

A scene of uproar and confusion

Sound and Fury

a great, tumultuous, and passionate uproar that actually is unimportant or meaningless

Casanova

Promiscuous man who is unscrupulous in his dealings with women

Yoda

Used to describe someone wise/ with experience

Yahoo

a boorish, crass, or stupid person

Pelé

To describe something amazing or wonderful

Shanghai

To force/ coerce someone to work for you (or kidnapped)

Sold down the river

to be betrayed or misled, especially by someone trusted

Aphrodite

To describe someone very beautiful

Mona Lisa

Signify an unreadable smile

Stealing someones thunder

to take credit for the idea of another or to lessen the effect of another's idea by suggesting the same idea first

Pound of Flesh

Used to describe someone's insistence on being repaid, even if the repayment will destroy or harm the debtor

Sacred Cow

refers to something that cannot be interfered with or harmed in any way

Svengali

A person who exercises excessive control or influence over another person

Romeo

Died for his love; very romantic dude

Sisyphean

Requiring endless effort; without result or success

Makkah (Mecca)

A place that attracts many people

juggernaut

a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution

Polyanna

an excessively or blindly optimistic person.

Mordor

land of evil; a horrible place

Crossing the Rubicon

point of no return

Scheherazade

a person who is an excellent storyteller, especially one who is able to keep an audience in suspense

Thirty pieces of silver

Payment received for an act of treachery

Fiddle while Rome Burns

to display indifference in the midst of an emergency or disaster