Honors English Vocab Full Set

abate

(v) to lessen in violence or intensity

abdicate

(v) to renounce a throne, high office, dignity, or function

abhor

(v) to regard with horror or loathing; to hate deeply

aberration

(n) the fact or an instance of deviating or being aberrant especially from a moral standard or normal state

abstain

(v) to choose not to do or have something : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice

adversity

(v) a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune

aesthetic

(a or n) concerning the appreciation of beauty

amicable

(a) characterized by friendly goodwill

anachronistic

(a) an error in chronology

arid

(a) extremely dry

asylum

(n) a place of safety

benevolent

(a) marked by goodness or doing good

bias

(n) a preconception that prevents objectivity

boisterous

(a) rough and noisy in a cheerful way

brazen

(a) shameless, impudent

brusque

(a) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

camaraderie

(n) good will and warm feelings among friends.

canny

(a) clever, shrewd

capacious

(a) containing or capable of containing a great deal

capitulate

(v) to end resistance, give up, surrender, throw in the towel

clairvoyant

(n.) one who possesses extrasensory powers, seer

collaborate

(v.) to work with, work together

compassion

(n.) sympathy pity or concern for someone

compromise

(n.)an equal agreement or a settlement of a dispute

condescending

(a.) having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority.

conditional

(a.) subject to one or more conditions or requirements being me

conformist

(n.)a person who conforms to accepted behavior or established practices

convergence

(n.) the process or state of converging

deleterious

(a.)causing harm or damage

diligent

(a.) having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties

demagogue

(n.) a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

digression

(n.)a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing

discredit

(v.)harm the good reputation of (someone or something

disdain

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

diverge

(v.)(of a road, route, or line) separate from another route, especially a main one, and go in a different direction

empathy

(n.)the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

emulate

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

ephemeral

(a.)lasting for a very short time

evanescent

(a.)soon passing out of sight

enervating

(a.)causing one to feel drained of energy or vitality

exemplary

(adj.) worthy of imitation, commendable; serving as a model

extenuate

(v.) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses

florid

(adj.) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, showy

forbearance

(n.)patient self-control; restraint and tolerance

fortitude

(n.)courage in facing difficulties

foster

(v.) to bring up, give care to; to promote, encourage; (adj.) in the same family but not related by birth

fraught

(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by

frugal

(adj.) economical, avoiding waste and luxury; scanty, poor, meager

hackneyed

(Adj.)overused, cliched

haughty

(adj.)arrogant, condescending

hedonist

(n) a person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure-seeker.

hypothesis

(n) a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

impetuous

(a) acting or done quickly and without thought or care

inevitable

(a) certain to happen; unavoidable

impute

(v) to attribute to someone

inconsequential

(a) unimportant

intrepid

(a) very brave, fearless, unshakable

intuitive

(a) instinctive; untaught; insightful

jubilation

(n) a feeling of extreme joy

lobbyist

(n) persuader of legislators

longevity

(n.) long life, long duration, length of life

mundane

(adj.) practical, ordinary

nonchalant

(adj.)cool and confident, unconcerned

ostentatious

(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy

opulent

(adj.) wealthy, luxurious; ample; grandiose

orator

(n.) public speaker

parched

(adj.)dried up, shriveled

perfidious

(adj.) disloyal, unfaithful

pragmatic

(adj.) practical

precocious

(adj.) showing unusually early development

precocious

(adj.) showing unusually early development (especially in talents and mental capacity)

pretentious

(adj.) done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one's skill or abilities, ambitious

procrastinate

(v.) to delay, put off until later

prosaic

(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact, straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic

prosperity

n. wealth; good fortune

provocative

(adj.) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating, annoying

prudent

a. acting with or showing care and thought for the future

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

rancorous

a. antagonistic; hostile; spiteful

reclusive

a. withdrawn, hermit-like

reconciliation

n.the restoration of friendly relations

restrained

a.controlled, repressed, restricted

renovate

v.restore (something old, especially a building) to a good state of repair

reverence

n.deep respect for someone or something

sagacity

a.having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd

scrutinize

v.examine or inspect closely and thoroughly

portentous

n.a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen

spurious

a.not being what it purports to be; false or fake

substantiate

v.provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

subtle

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

superficial

appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.

superfluous

exceeding what is sufficient or required, excess

surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

tactful

(adj.) skilled in handling difficult situations or people, polite

tenacious

Holding fast; holding together firmly; persistent

transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time

venerable

accorded a great deal of respect; especially because of age, wisdom, or character

vindicate

(v.) to clear from hint or charge of wrongdoing; to defend successfully against opposition; to justify

wary

cautious

zeal

passion; excitement