The Great Gatsby Vocab

VU Literature Avon High School

feign

to make believe; pretend

supercilious

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

conscientious

wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

incredulous

skeptical; disbelieving

reciprocal

given or felt by each toward the other; mutual

wan

looking pale, weak, or tired

complacent

pleased with a situation, especially something you have achieved, so that you stop trying to improve or change things; wrongfully self-satisfied

intimation

an indirect suggestion; a slight suggestion or vague understanding

infinite

without limits in space or time

anon

soon; shortly

contiguous

sharing a common border; touching

facet

aspect, feature

cower

crouch down in fear

interpose

place or insert between one thing and another; intervene between parties

apathetic

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

languid

lacking energy or vitality; weak

imply

strongly suggest the truth or existence of (something not expressly stated)

strident

loud, harsh, grating, or shrill

deft

quick and skillful

clad

being covered or clothed

permeate

to fill up, seep into; to saturate

innuendo

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

erroneous

incorrect; wrong

vehement

strongly passionate or emotion; often with anger

cordial

friendly; warm

impetuous

acting or done quickly and without thought or care

vacuous

empty; lacking ideas or intelligence; stupid

corpulent

plump; large or bulky in body

provincial

having the manners, and viewpoints considered characteristic of unsophisticated inhabitants of a province; rustic; narrow or illiberal

din

a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor

knickerbocker

any New Yorker

fluctuate

to change continually; shift back and forth

sporadic

appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional

divine retribution

punishment from a higher being for bad deeds or transgressions

rajah

a king or prince in India; a minor chief or dignitary

elicit

to draw or bring out or forth; educe; evoke

valor

heroic courage; bravery

somnambulatory

related to sleep walking

denizen

an inhabitant; a resident; one that frequents a particular place

jaunty

easy and sprightly in manner or bearing

rout

an overwhelming defeat

suppress

to do away with; abolish; stop

innumerable

very numerous; incapable of being counted; countless

ecstatic

subject to or in a state of ecstasy; rapturous

reproach

to find fault with (a person, group, etc.); blame

serf

a slave

obstinate

inflexible; stubborn; not yielding

exult

to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice; be highly elated or jubilant

hulking

heavy and clumsy; bulky

nebulous

hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused

laudable

deserving praise; praiseworthy; commendation

insidious

intended to entrap or trick

repose

peace; tranquility; calm

debauch

an uninhibited spree or party

antecedent

a preceding circumstance, event, object, style, phenomenon

ingratiate

to establish (oneself) in the favor or good graces of others by deliberate effort

perturb

to throw into great disorder; derange; bother; annoy

dilatory

tending to delay procrastinate; slow; tardy

desolate

barren or laid waste; devastated; deprived or destitute of inhabitants; deserted; inhabited; solitary; lonely

elusive

hard to express or define; cleverly or skillfully evasive