English 12 Vocab - Term 1 MEI

Modernism

Any of various movements in art, architecture, literature, etc., generally characterized by a deliberate break with classical and traditional forms or methods; the work or ideas of the adherents of such a movement.

Ominious

Of ill omen, inauspicious; indicative or suggestive of future misfortune.

Vivacious

Exhibiting vivacity or liveliness; animated, lively.

Vacuous

Empty of ideas; unintelligent; expressionless.

Ostracize

To banish; to exclude from a group; to refuse to speak to or acknowledge.

Acumen

Sharpness of wit, quickness or perception; the ability to make good judgements and decisions.

Indignant

Provoked to wrath by something unworthy, unjust, or ungrateful; moved by an emotion of anger mingled with scorn or contempt.

Bauble

A showy trinket or ornament such as would please a child, a piece of finery of little worth, a pretty trifle.

Equinox

One of the two periods in the year when the days and nights are equal in length all over the earth, owing to the sun’s crossing the equator; the precise moment at which the sun crosses the equator.

Aesthete

A person who professes a special or superior appreciation of what us beautiful.

Sycophant

A mean, servile, cringing flatterer; a toady.

Guile

Insidious cunning, deceit, treachery.

Diffident

Wanting in self-confidence; not confident in disposition; timid, shy, bashful.

Flippant

Displaying unbecoming levity in the consideration of serious subjects or in behaviour to persons entitled to respect.

Pax

Peace

Fallacious

Containing a fallacy (a flaw in reasoning).

Gregarious

Inclined to associate with others, fond of company.

Kowtow

An act of obsequious respect.

Effect

Operative influence; a mode or degree of operation on an object.

Affect

To have an effect on, either materially or otherwise.

Bellicose

Inclined to war or fighting; warlike.

Archaic

Esp. of language: Belonging to an earlier period, no longer in common use.

Totalitarianism

Totalitarian theory and practice; the advocacy of totalitarian government (which tolerates only one political party, to which all other institutions are subordinated, and which demands the complete subservience of the individual to the State).

Stellar

Pertaining to the stars or star; of a star; leading, outstanding.

Bovine

Belonging to, or characteristic of, the ox tribe; dull, stupid.

Disconsolate

Causing despondency; dispiriting, disheartening; cheerless, gloomy.

Acquiesce

To accept something, typically with some reluctance; to agree to do what someone else wants; to comply with, concede.

Yarmulke

A skull-cap worn by male Orthodox Jews at all times, and by other male Jews on religious occasions.

Seraph(im)

In Biblical use: The living creatures with six wings, hands and feet, and a (presumably) human voice, seen in Isaiah’s vision as hovering above the throne of God.

Antediluvian

Of or belonging to the world before the Flood.

Reparation

The action of making amends for a wrong or harm done by providing payment or other assistance to the wronged party.

Inculcate

To endeavour to force (a thing) into or impress (it) on the mind of another by persistent repetition, esp. a principle or a matter of belief; to teach forcibly.

Laissez-faire

A phrase expressive of the principle that government should not interfere with the action of individuals, esp. in industrial affairs and in trade.

Solipsism

Excessive regard for oneself, to exclusion of others; extreme selfishness.

Choleric

Disposed to anger or easily angered; hot-tempered; bad-tempered.

Abdicate

To give up (a right, duty, office, or position); to renounce, surrender.

id

The instinctive impulses of the individual, forming part of the unconscious (in Freudian theory).

Soliloquy

An instance of talking to or with oneself, or of uttering one’s thoughts aloud without addressing any person.

Embellish

Often with sense to ‘dress up’, heighten (a narration) with fictitious additions.

Empathy

The ability to understand and appreciate another’s feelings, experience, etc..

Reconiliation

The action of restoring estranged people or parties to friendship; the result or fact of being reconciled.

Melancholic

Originally: sullen, unsociable, given to causeless anger. Later: liable to melancholy; depressed, gloomy, mournful.

Antiquated

Old-fashioned, whether as surviving from, or as imitating, earlier usage.

Tyrant

A king or ruler who exercises his power in an oppressive, unjust, or cruel manner.

Benign

Of a kind disposition, gracious, kindly. Of diseases: Of a mild type.

Oedipus complex

(In Freudian theory) a complex of emotions aroused in a young (often male) child by a subconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and a wish to exclude the parent of the same sex, which may lead to repression, guilt and an inability to form normal emotional or sexual relationships.

Xenophobic

Pertaining to or exhibiting xenophobia (a deep antipathy to foreigners).

Euro

(The name of) the principal unit of the European single currency (symbol €).

Philanthropist

A benefactor of humankind; one who behaves benevolently towards others.

Lugubrious

Characterized by, expressing or causing mourning; doleful, sorrowful.

Contemptuous

Showing contempt (of persons, their conduct and acts); disdainful, scornful, insolent.

Pacifist

A proponent or advocate of pacifism (belief in or advocacy of peaceful methods as feasible and desirable alternatives to war).

Rebuff

To reject (a person or thing) in an abrupt or ungracious manner; to put off.

Usurp

To intrude forcibly, illegally, or without just cause into (some dignified or important position); to assume (politely power, rule, authority, etc.) by force.

Poignant

Regretful or painful, sometimes in a pleasurable way; tenderly sorrowful, bitter-sweet.

Eviscerate

To take out the internal organs or entrails of; to disembowel; to gut.

Delphinium

A deep blue like that of the indigo-blue delphinium.

Opus

A book or other written work, esp. one considered to be of great size or importance; a collection of writings by a particular author.

Periphery

The region, space, or area surrounding something; a fringe, margin. The outlying areas of a region, most distant from some political, cultural, or economic centre.

Waif

A person who is without home or friends; one who lives uncared-for or without guidance; an outcast from society; an unowned or neglected child.

Narcissism

Excessive self-love or vanity; self-admiration, self-centredness.

Nonsectarian

Not sectarian; not having an affinity with or involving a religious sect or political group.

Ubiquitous

Present or found everywhere; prevalent, predominant; very common or popular.

Recapitulate

To go through or repeat again, usually in a more concise manner; to go over the main points of (an argument, statement, etc.).

Vapid

Devoid of animation, zest, or interest; dull, flat, lifeless, insipid.

Earnest

Serious, as opposed to trifling; gravely impassioned; intense, ardent. Of actions or words: Proceeding from or implying intensity of feeling or conviction.

Supercillious

Haughtily contemptuous; having or assuming an air of superiority, indifference, or disdain.

Jejune

Unsatisfying to the mind or soul; insipid, uninteresting; wanting in substance or solidity.

Pragmatism

A pragmatic attitude; attention to facts, as opposed to opinions, ideals or emotions; realism.

Hubris

Presumption, orig. towards the gods; pride, excessive self-confidence.

Benevolent

Of the general frame or habit or mind: Desirous of the good of others, of a kindly disposition, charitable, generous.

Clemency

Mildness or gentleness of temper, as shown in the exercise of authority or power; mercy, leniency.

Homogenous

Of the same kind, nature, or character: alike, similar, congruous.

Inimical

Having the disposition or temper of an enemy; unfriendly, hostile.

Omnipotent

As an attribute of a god, esp. the Christian God or Christ: almighty; all-powerful, having infinite power.

Ingenuous

Honourably straightforward; open, frank, candid.

Altruisitic

Characterized by altruism; selfless.

Daunt

To overcome, subdue, vanquish.

Secular

Belonging to the world and its affairs as distinguished from the church and religion. Chiefly used as a negative term, with the meaning non-religious or non-sacred.

Brusque

Somewhat rough or rude in manner; blunt, ‘offhand’.

Adamant

Unwavering, unshakeable, inflexible; esp. refusing to be persuaded or t change one’s mind; absolutely convinced that something is the case.

Hackneyed

Used so frequently and indiscriminately as to have lost its freshness and interest; made trite and commonplace; stale.

Metamorphosis

The action or process of changing in form, shape, or substance; esp. transformation by supernatural means.

Feckless

Valueless, futile, feeble. Lacking vigour, energy, or capacity; (now more usually) irresponsible, shiftless.

Incite

To urge or spur on; to stir up, animate, instigate.

Profane

Unholy, or desecrating what is holy or sacred; ritually unclean or polluted.

Eponymous

That gives (his) name to anything; said esp. of the mythical personages from whose names the names of places or peoples are reputed to be derived.

Evanescent

That quickly vanishes or passes away; having no permanence.

Vis-à-vis

Over against, in comparison with, in relation to; literally, face to face with.

Delectable

Affording delight; delightful, pleasant.

Empiricism

Primary reliance on evidence derived from observation, investigation, or experiment rather than on abstract reasoning, theoretical analysis, or speculation.

Audacity

Boldness, daring, intrepidity; confidence.

Adroit

Physically or (now usually) mentally skillful or resourceful; clever, astute.

Esoteric

Of things: Belonging to an inner circle of advanced or privileged disciples; communicated to, or intelligible by, the initiated exclusively.

Dichotomy

Division into sharply defined or contrasting parts; division into two mutually exclusive categories or genera.

Umbrage

Displeasure, annoyance, offence, resentment.

Partisan

An adherent or proponent of a party, person. Also with unfavourable connotation: an unreasoning, prejudiced, or blindly fanatical adherent.

Yeoman

A man holding a small landed estate; a freeholder under the rank of a gentleman; hence vaguely, commoner of respectable standing.

Heterogenous

Diverse in kind or nature, of completely different characters; incongruous; foreign.

Heinous

Highly criminal or wicked: chiefly characterizing offences, crimes, sins, and those who commit them.