AP Lang week 2

ascribe

to attribute, to describe as a cause or source

askance (adv.)

distrustfully, scornfully (said of how one looks at something)

askew (adj.)

turned to one side, crooked

asperity

roughness, harshness, irritability, acrimony

assess

measure

assiduous

attentive, diligent (an ~ work team finished the job in two days)

assuage

to make less severe, to soothe, to alleviate, to mollify

astral

pertaining to stars

astute

shrewd, sharp, keen

atrophy (n.)

a wasting away (often of a body part from disuse), degeneration, decline

attrition

a wearing down, a gradual decrease

augment

to increase, to make larger

augury (n.)

prediction, omen

august (adj.)

stately, of supreme dignity, venerable

auspicious

favorable, promising success

austere (adj.)

severe

authentic

genuine, real

authoritarian

like a dictator

autonomous

self-governing

avarice

greed

aver (v.)

to assert with confidence

averse

reluctant, not inclined

avert

to prevent

avid

eager, with great enthusiasm

avouch

to state strongly, guarantee

awry

askew, amiss, not as expected (usu. the phrase 'to go awry')

axiomatic

self-evident, obvious, given

baleful

deadly, evil, ominous

balk

to refuse to continue or allow, stop short

balmy

mild, refreshing

banal

trite, commonplace, hackneyed, ordinary

baneful

destructive

banter (n.)

playful and light-hearted conversation, jest, teasing

beget

to produce offspring; to cause or bring about

beguile

to cheat, delude, charm deceitfully

belittle

to put down, disparage

bellicose

aggressive, ready to fight, belligerent

benefactor

helper, supporter

benevolent

kindly, not malignant

benign

kind-hearted, having good will towards others

bibliophile

a book-lover

bigoted

prejudiced and intolerant of a viewpoint other than one's own

bizarre

strange

bland

mild

blandish (v.)

to persuade by mild flattery, coax, cajole

blasphemy

an irreverent or impious act towards something sacred, sacrilegious disrespect

blatant

obvious, flagrant (often glaringly or offensively so)

blithe

cheerful

bolster

to support

bombastic

pompous in language, verbose

bounty (n.)

plenty, abundance; a reward often given for someone's capture

braggadocio (n.)

unjustified boasting, empty bragging

brevity

briefness

brusque

abrupt, blunt, curt, terse

bucolic

pertaining to the countryside, pastoral

bumptious (adj.)

boldly conceited, cocky, pushy

buttress

an architectural structure meant to support a wall from the outside

cabal (n.)

a small group plotting secretly, a faction

cache

a hiding place for food or ammunition, etc.; 'the items hidden in a cache'

cadaverous

haggard, skeletal, ghastly, like a corpse