The Great Gatsby

levity

lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness.

reciprocal

given or felt by each toward the other; mutual.

wan

of an unnatural or sickly pallor; pallid; lacking color.

supercilious

haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.

proprietary

pertaining to property or ownership.

hors-d' oeuvre

an appetizer, as a relish or more elaborate preparation, served before or as the first course of a meal.

ascertain

to find out definitely; learn with certainty or assurance; determine.

corpulent

large or bulky of body; portly; stout; fat.

disconcerting

disturbing to one's composure or self-possession; upsetting, discomfiting.

rajah

a king or prince in India.

molar

Also called molar tooth. a tooth having a broad biting surface adapted for grinding, being one of twelve in humans, with three on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

shrubbery

a place where a number of shrubs are planted.

gaudy

brilliantly or excessively showy.

vestige

a small trace, mark, or amount; hint

boarder

a person, especially a lodger, who is supplied with regular meals.

colossal

extraordinarily great in size, extent, or degree; gigantic; huge.

notoriety

the state, quality, or character of being notorious or widely known.

debauchery

excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance.

appalled

overcome with horror, shock, outrage, or dismay.

chafe

to make sore by rubbing.

menagerie

an unusual and varied group of people.

bona-fide

made, done, presented, etc., in good faith; without deception or fraud.

expostulation

the act of expostulating; remonstrance; earnest and kindly protest.

barbed wire

a wire or strand of wires having small pieces of sharply pointed wire twisted around it at short intervals, used chiefly for fencing in livestock, keeping out trespassers, etc.

[in] cahoots

partnership; league (esp in the phrases go in cahoots with, go cahoot )

interminable

incapable of being terminated; unending.

jauntily

in an easy and lively manner.

pander

to cater to or profit from the weaknesses or vices of others.

feign

to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of.

snob

a person who imitates, cultivates, or slavishly admires social superiors and is condescending or overbearing to others.

bungalow

a cottage of one story.

epigram

any witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed.

superficial

being at, on, or near the surface.

turbulence

the quality or state of being turbulent; violent disorder or commotion.

fractiousness

unruliness

desolate

barren or laid waste; devastated.

incredulous

not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical

languid

lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow.

extemporize

to speak extemporaneously.

banns

any public announcement of a proposed marriage, either verbal or written and made in a church or by church officials.

oculist

ophthalmologist

saunter

to walk with a leisurely gait; stroll.

hauteur

haughty manner or spirit; arrogance.

gyp

Offensive. to defraud or rob by some sharp practice; swindle; cheat.

fortnight

the space of fourteen nights and days; two weeks.

innuendo

an indirect intimation about a person or thing, especially of a disparaging or a derogatory nature.

vicinity

the area or region near or about a place; surrounding district; neighborhood.

vehement

zealous; ardent; impassioned.

speculation

the contemplation or consideration of some subject.

condescending

showing or implying a usually patronizing descent from dignity or superiority.

impetuously

hastily

jovial

endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship.

jaunty

easy and sprightly in manner or bearing.

tantalize

to torment with, or as if with, the sight of something desired but out of reach; tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.

affectation

an effort to appear to have a quality not really or fully possessed; the pretense of actual possession.

subterfuge

an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.

bootlegger

a person who makes or sells liquor or other goods illegally.

tribute

a gift, testimonial, compliment, or the like, given as due or in acknowledgment of gratitude or esteem.

penitentiary

a place for imprisonment, reformatory discipline, or punishment, especially a prison maintained in the U.S. by a state or the federal government for serious offenders.

punctilious

extremely attentive to punctilios; strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions.

beau

a male lover or sweetheart.

pomp

stately or splendid display; splendor; magnificence.

splendor

brilliant or gorgeous appearance, coloring, etc.; magnificence.

tactless

lacking tact; showing no tact; undiplomatic; offendingly blunt.

rendered

offered, provided, or given as due; performed, as a service.

obstinate

firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

disheveled

hanging loosely or in disorder; unkempt.

laudable

deserving praise; praiseworthy; commendable.

meretricious

alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry.

conceit

something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea.

ineffable

incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible.

reverie

a state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing.

turgid

inflated, overblown, or pompous; bombastic.

ingratiate

to establish (oneself or another person) in the favor or good graces of someone, especially by deliberate effort (usually followed by with).

tipsy

slightly intoxicated or drunk.

septic

relating to, caused by, or affected by sepsis or infection.

obtrusive

having or showing a disposition to obtrude, as by imposing oneself or one's opinions on others.

dilatory

tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.

harrowing

extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous.

stifling

suffocating; oppressively close.

libertine

a person who is morally or sexually unrestrained, especially a dissolute man; a profligate; rake.

prig

a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner.

vicariously

through the experience of another person.

rancor

bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.

portentous

of the nature of a portent; momentous.

inquest

a legal or judicial inquiry, usually before a jury, especially an investigation made by a coroner into the cause of a death.

malice

desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.

indiscernible

not discernible; that cannot be seen or perceived clearly; imperceptible.

redolent

having a pleasant odor; fragrant.

unscrupulously

to act in a dishonest, immoral, or unprincipled manner without hesitation or guilt

ravenously

extremely rapacious.

pretense

pretending or feigning; make-believe.

stratum

Sociology. a level or grade of a people or population with reference to social position, education, etc..

garrulous

excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.

pasquinade

a satire or lampoon, especially one posted in a public place.

superfluous

being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.

resolve

to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something).

inquisition

any harsh, difficult, or prolonged questioning.

provincial

belonging or peculiar to some particular province; local.

Still learning (28)

You've started learning these terms. Keep it up!