AP Lit Vocab 1-7

Impetuous

Impetuous

characterized by sudden or rash action or emotion

Propitious

presenting favorable conditions

Gambol

-v-to skip or frolic

Capricious-a-

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

Incredulous-a-

unwilling or unable to believe something

Diffident

-a- modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.

Precocious

-a-having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual.

Meretricious

• attractive in appearance but having in reality no value or integrity

Indefatigable-

a- incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring.

Epigram

-n- a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way, idiom

Mutability

-n- the quality of ability to change or be altered

Mien

-n- a person's look or manner, esp. one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.

Febrile

showing signs/symptoms of a fever

Imperious

-a- domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing

Nonplus

-v- to render utterly perplexed, to puzzle

Confound

-v- to perplex, to amaze, to surprise

Droll

amusing in an odd way

Despotic

tyrannical, authoritarian

Sanguine

optimistic or positive

Propitiate

to win or regain favor by doing something that pleases -v-

Adulation

flattery,excessive admiration or praise -n-

Culpable

deserving blame, at fault

Wry

dryly humorous, ironic,

Blasé

unimpressed or indifferent

Impalpable

unable to be felt or sensed by touch

Derisive

expressing contempt or ridicule, mocking

Behemoth

something enormous in size or power -n-

Reprobate

an unprincipled, depraved person -n-

Redolent

having a pleasant odor, fragrant

Bellicose

eager to fight, hostile

Furtive

sly,secretive, stealthy

Choleric

extremely irritable, easily angered

Plaintive

sad, mournful

Perfidious

deceitful, untrustworthy

misanthrope

a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society -n-

fervid

intensely or overly enthusiastic

profligate

recklessly extravagant or wasteful in using resources

indecorous

improper, indecent

expiate

to atone for, to make amends for -v-

equanimity

mental calmness, or composure in difficult scenarios -n-

sententious

self righteous, overly moralistic or judgmental

penurious

extremely poor or poverty stricken; stingy, penny-pinching

arrogate

to take or to claim something without reason or permission -v-

soporific

characterized by causing drowsiness or sleepiness

insuperable

impossible to overcome

ameliorate

to improve or to make better -v-

pragmatic

practical, sensible, logical

turbid

cloudy, opaque, murky, unclear

ascetic

a person who practices severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons -n-

indomitable

impossible to subdue or defeat

Errant

erring or straying from the proper course or standards; wrong

Solecism

a grammatical mistake in speech or writing -n-

Languid

showing a dislike for physical exertion or effort; slow

Ebullient

cheerful; full of energy

debauchery

excess indulgence in sexual pleasures -n-

Intractable

hard to control or deal with

Assail

to make an intentional violent attack on -v-

Prurient

characterized by an excessive interest in sexual matters

Ruminate

think deeply and repeatedly about a matter -v-

Corporeal

of or relating to a person's physical body

Palliate

to make less severe or less unpleasant without removing the cause; to ease -v-

Supercilious

behaving or looking as though one is superior to others; extremely arrogant

Turgid

swollen or bloated

Beget

to bring a child into; to give rise to or to bring about -v-

glib

(describing words or the person speaking them) insincere, shallow, smooth talking

prudent

sensible, well thought out with regard to the future, wise

idyllic

extremely happy or peaceful, perfect, blissful

discursive

characterized by digressing from subject to subject, rambling, wordy, long-winded

quixotic

exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical

obsequious

servile, excessively obedient or attentive

obeisance

-n-deferential respect, homage, or reverence

consummate

-v- to make a marriage complete or official by having sexual intercourse

presumptuous

(describing a person) overconfident, arrogant, assuming to know the best

equivocal

open to more than one interpretation, ambiguous

garrulous

excessively talkative esp. on trivial matters, chatty

venerable

worthy of great respect b/c of age, wisdom, or character

bedlam

-n- a state of madness, chaos, confusion, or disorder

fatuous

silly, pointless, stupid, idiotic

nascent

(esp of a process)- to be in the early stages of, developing, just beginning,

laudable

(esp of an action or idea) praiseworthy, commendable, admirable

irrevocable

not able to be changed, reversed, or recovered

amity

feeling of friendship between people or groups -n-

strident

loud and harsh sounding; shrill; piercing

phlegmatic

(of a person) having an unemotional or calm disposition

interminable

endless; never-ending; constant

abate

(of a perceived hostile threat) to become less intense, to subside or decline -v-

remiss

negligent; thoughtless; forgetful of one's duty or responsibility

arduous

requiring great and strenuous effort; tiring;

inundate

to overwhelm someone with things or people to be deal with -v-

perspicuous

clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand

acquiesce

to accept something reluctantly but without protest -v-

perdition

utter destruction, ruin, or loss; eternal damnation; -n-

avouch

to affirm or assert -v-

addle

to confuse, to make unable to think clearly -v-

trepidation

a feeling of great fear, or anxiety of impending doom or danger -n-

fanfare

showy display or celebration -n-

astute

sharp, clever; and ability to assess people or situations and turn them to your advantage

pathos

-n-a quality that evokes sympathy, pity, sadness

scintillate

v- to emit sparks or quick flashes of light

obfuscate

-v-to confuse, to make unclear