AP Language and Composition Semester 2 Vocabulary

abstemious

(adj.) showing restraint, sparing (as in eating and drinking), not self-indulgent, austere

admonish

(v) to warn or caution against (can also be to reprimand or scold)

amity

(n) friendship, friendly relations, harmony, peacefulness

bastion

(n.) a fortified place, stronghold

callous

(adj) emotionally hardened, unfeeling, insensitive, indifferent, cold-blooded

clemency

(n) mercy, lenience (for instance, when granting a pardon)

debunk

(v) to prove wrong, false, or hypocritical

diffuse

(v) to spread or scatter freely or widely

dupe

(v) to deceive, to trick

exorcize

(v) to attempt to expel evil spirit away, to get rid of something troublesome (figuratively)

finesse

(n.) delicate skill; tact and cleverness

humility

(n) absence of vanity; humbleness in spirit

imperious

(adj.) overbearing, arrogant; domineering, tyrannical

larceny

(n) theft of personal property

mirth

(n) gladness and merriment usually accompanied by laughter, glee

mollify

(v) to calm or make less severe, assuage, soothe, appease

neologism

(n) a new word, expression (or usage of a word in a new way)

orthodox

(adj) conventional, traditional

plight

(n) a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation, adversity

repertoire

(n) the range of pieces an artist is prepared to perform, a collection or list of music, work, skills, etc., ready to use/perform

rupture

(v) To break apart, to burst

solicitous

(adj.) showing concern or care; worried, concerned

stolid

(adj)unemotional, lacking sensitivity, stoic

tempestuous

(adj) turbulent, stormy, conflicting, not calm

untenable

(adj) indefensible, unforgivable

adjunct

(adj) something added, attached, or joined (but not actually a part of the thing)

anomalous

(adj) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual, not ordinary

belligerent

combative, quarelling, (can also be hostile, aggressive, and often obnoxious)

censure

(v) to criticize harshly, condemn, blame, denounce

compliance

(n) conforming, being in line, acquiescence to

defile

(v) to pollute; to corrupt, to debase, desecrate, taint

diligent

(adj) hardworking, industrious, attentive

expedient

(adj) convenient/practical for achieving a purpose, but not necessarily morally just

flout

(v) to mock, treat with contempt, jeer

galling

(adj) very irritating, irksome, annoying

heralded

(adj) announced or publicized

incantation

(n) ritual chant; spell

indigenous

(adj) native to a certain area

luscious

(adj) pleasing to the taste or smell

nomadic

(adj) wandering from place to place

parry

(v/n) to ward off, fend off, deflect, evade, avoid; (or a defensive movement)

precipitate

(v) to cause an something to speedily occur, to throw head long

pungent

(adj) having a sharply strong taste or smell (often irritating)

ratify

(v.) to give formal approval, to confirm

sagacious

(adj) wise; having keen perception and sound judgement, shrewd, discerning

slovenly

(adj/adv) untidy, dirty, careless

spiteful

(adj) vengeful, malicious

tangential

(adj) merely touching or slightly connected, kind of off-topic

taper

(v) to decrease in thickness or width (like a taper fade)

vagrant

(n) an idle wanderer, tramp, unhoused person

affluent

(adj) rich, wealthy

antiquity

(n) ancient times, quality of being ancient

blandishment

(n) flattery, cajolery, coaxing intended to persuade

chasten

(v) to discipline, admonish, chastise, to use punishment to correct behavior

civility

(n) politeness; courteousness

congenial

(adj.) getting on well with others; agreeable, pleasant, friendly

deft

(adj) skillful, nimble, clever, dexterous

dispatch

(v/n) to send off or out for a purpose (usually with urgency)

embroil

(v.) to involve in a conflict or difficulty; to throw into confusion/strife

expurgate

(v) to remove obscene or objectionable material (usually before publication in written text)

garner

(v) to gather together, collect, acquire

heretical

(adj) contrary to church doctrine or accepted beliefs or standards

iconoclast

(n) one who opposes/attacks established beliefs, customs, and institutions

irreproachable

(adj) blameless; impeccable, faultless

mercurial

(adj) characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood, volatile, capricious

nuance

(n) a slight or subtle degree of difference

partisan

(adj/n) showing allegiance to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause

pious

(adj) devoutly religious

raucous

(adj) unpleasantly loud and harsh (in terms of sound), strident

repugnant

(adj.) offensive, disagreeable, disgusting, abhorent

satiric

(adj) ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, ironic, mocking, similar to parodies

sporadic

(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order, infrequent

succulent

(adj) juicy

terrestrial

(adj) of, on, or relating to the earth

ungainly

(adj.) clumsy, awkward; unwieldy (like everyone in middle school)

aggregate

(v/adj/n) gather; accumulate, total

archipelago

(n) A group/chain of islands

boon

(n) a blessing, something favorable

buffoon

(n.) a clown, stupid person

chicanery

(n) trickery; deception, unethical methods

contaminant

(n) something that causes impurity; something that defiles or pollutes

corrugated

(adj) bent into folds, wrinkled; ridged (like an accordion)

deleterious

(adj) harmful, injurious, noxious, damaging, dangerous

disputatious

(adj) inclined to argue or debate, belligerent

emend

(v) to correct or revise a written text

fetter

(v/n) to restrain by chaining, shackle

giddy

(adj) giggly, light-minded, joyful

heterogeneity

(n) state of being dissimilar

indomitable

(adj) unconquerable

irresolute

(adj) indecisive, unsure

metaphorically

(adv) not literally/actually, symbolically; figuratively

panacea

(n) remedy for all ills, cure-all, a solution

peruse

(v.) to read/examine thoroughly and carefully

prodigy

(n) A person with great talent; a young genius, someone especially advanced (young sheldon)

rebuff

(v/n) to reject bluntly, refuse, turn down

resilient

(adj) able to recover quickly/return to former state

scapegoat

(n.) a person or thing carrying the blame for others

spurious

(adj) not genuine; false, counterfeit, dishonest, deceitful

tractable

(adj.) easily managed, easy to deal with, amenable, docile

vivacious

(adj) lively, sprightly, full of energy/life, animated