Honors Lit II - Shepherd - Vocab List 1

Honors Lit II - Shepherd - Vocab List 1

Abstract

Thought of apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances

Acquiesce

Submit or comply silently without protest

Acute

Sharp or severe in effect; extremely great or serious

Aesthetic

Pertaining to a sense of the beautiful; pertaining to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality

Alleivate

To make easier to endure; lessen

Plaintive

Expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful

Platitude

A flat, dull, or trite remark, especially one uttered as if it were fresh or profound

Plebeian

Belonging or pertaining to the common people

Plethora

Overabundance; excess

Poignant

Keenly distressing to the feelings; pungent to the smell

Polarize

To divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc

Polemic

A person who argues in opposition to another; controversialist

Ponderous

Of great weight; heavy; massive

Portent

An indication or omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous; a prodigy or marvel

Postulate

To ask, demand, or claim

Pragmatic

Of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations

Precedent

Any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations

Precept

A commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct

Precipitate

To hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly

Precipitous

Extremely or impassably steep