Honors English 1 Final

Momento mori

a painting typically consisting of basic objects, like a still life, but with a skull in it as a reminder of mortality

agnosticism

noun - the belief that the existence of a god is unknown and can't be known

avatar

noun - a manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth

rabbi

noun - a Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law

sufism

noun - mystical way of practicing Islam

yankee

informal noun - an American

canuck

informal noun - a Canadian

cataleptic

adj - to have catalepsy, a medical condition characterized by a trance or seizure with a loss of sensation and consciousness accompanied by rigidity of the body

gunnel/gunnwale

noun - the upper edge of a ship's or boat's side

albatross

noun - a very large oceanic bird related to the shearwaters, with long narrow wings

surreal

adj - having the qualities of surrealism; bizarre

acrid

adj - bad smell

agape

adj - wide open

apparition

noun - a supernatural appearance of a person or thing; ghost

asperity

noun - harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner

circumspect

adj - watchful and prudent of all consequences

cogent

adj - persuasive and convincing in a well-expressed manner

corroborate

verb - to make more certain; to confirm

fallacy

noun - a deceptive, misleading or false notion that is largely believed

flippantly

adv - in a frivolously disrespectful manner or sarcastic in response

fulsome

adj - expressing admiration/appreciation of someone, often too much, in a way that does not sound sincere

impassive

adj - showing no emotion or reaction

impenetrable

adj - incapable of being penetrated, pierced or entered

incredulous

adj - not wanting or able to believe something due to skepticism or shock

languid

adj - lacking in spirit, interest or vitality

panacea

noun - a remedy for all ills; an answer to all problems

pique

verb - to excite with reaction

scrupulous

adj - extremely careful to do what is right, moral, and exact

skulk

verb - to move about stealthily; to lie in hiding

slovenly

adj - untidy or unclean in appearance or habits

venial

adj - not serious, so easily excused or forgiven

approbation

noun - an expression of approval

audacious

adj - bold; unrestrained by convention and so fearless

austere

adj - severe, disciplined, and stern in appearance

chastise

verb - to inflict physical punishment as a means of correction; to scold severely

clandestine

adj - done in secrecy or concealment

conjecture

noun - an (to) inference or judgement based on guesswork

discern

verb - to perceive or understand by the senses

imprudent

adj - unwise, lacking proper judgement

interminable

adj - having no limits, incapable of being terminated

multifarious

adj - having great variety; numerous in parts and diversity

obviate

verb - prevent (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures

onerous

adj - causing hardship or difficulty

palatable

adj - agreeable to the taste or one's sensibilities; suitable for consumption

peremptory

adj - putting an end to all debate or action, commanding

propitious

adj - presenting favorable conditions

recalcitrant

adj - stubborn with disobedience and resistant to authority

rueful

adj - causing or feeling pity or compassion

unmitigated

adj - not diminished in intensity or severity, absolute

venerable

adj - earning respect because of great age, dignity, or title

wane

verb - to decrease in strength, time, or power

amiable

adj - generally agreeable : having a friendly and pleasant manner

phrenology

noun - the detailed study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental abilities

moor

noun - a tract of open uncultivated upland; a heath

deduction

noun - the inference of particular instances by reference to a general law or principle

mire

noun - a stretch of swampy or boggy ground

cairn

noun - a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline (man-made)

tor

noun - a hill or rocky peak (naturally occuring)

allusion

an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text

antagonist

a person who actively opposes the protagonist

aside

a remark that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play

characterization

a description of the distinctive nature or features of someone or something

direct characterization

the author explicitly tells the reader what he or she wants us to learn about the character

indirect characterization

the author shows the reader parts of the character that helps them understand the character's personality and the effect they have on other characters

climax

the most intense, exciting or important point of something

comic relief

comic episodes in a dramatic or literary work that offset more serious sections

counter-claim

a claim made to rebut a previous claim

diction (word choice)

the choice and uses of words and phrases in speech or writing

dramatic irony

when the audience and author know something that the characters do not

exposition

part of the story where characters and setting are introduced

falling action

the period of time in a story that follows the climax and leads to the resolution

foil character

a character who contrasts with another character

foreshadow

to give a hint or suggestion of something beforehand

genre

category of artistic composition characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

irony

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite

imagery

usually descriptive or figurative language

olfactory imagery

descriptive words about smell

visual imagery

descriptive words about sight

gustatory imagery

descriptive words about taste

tactile imagery

descriptive words about touch

auditory imagery

descriptive words about sound

kinesthetic imagery

descriptive words about movement or touching something moving

message

a significant point or central theme

metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action which is not literally applicable

monologue

a long speech by one actor (other actors are on stage)

mood

feeling that author creates in reader

motif

object, image, sound or phrase that is repeated throughout a story to point

novel

a fictitious prose narrative of book length

novella

a short novel or long story

oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjuction

parable

a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels

parallelism

the use of successive verbal constructions in poetry or prose which correspond in grammatical structure, sound, meter, meaning, etc.

plot structure

sequence of main events in a story

plot twist

radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction

prologue

a separate introductory section of a literary work

protagonist

the main character of one of the major characters in a literary work

personification

the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman

pun

a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings

onamatopeia

the formation of a word from a sound associated with what it is named