Frankenstein Vocabulary

fervent

having or displaying a passionate intensity archaic: hot, burning, or glowing

ardent

characterized by intense emotion

melancholy

a feeling of thoughtful sadness; or sad in manner

procure

get by special effort

revere

regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration - sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear

recollect

to remember - especially from experiences long ago

penury

a state of extreme poverty or destitution

capricious

impulsive or unpredictable or tending to make sudden changes - especially impulsive behavior

discern

to notice or understand something - often something that is not obvious

apathy

lack of interest and enthusiasm

diligent

hard work and care in tasks - often continuing when others might quit because of difficulties

disdain

a lack of respect - often suggesting distaste and an undeserved sense of superiority or: to reject as not good enough

immutable

not subject or susceptible to change

zeal

active interest and enthusiasm

pretense

an appearance or action to help one pretend

futile

effort that is pointless because it is unproductive or unsuccessful

dogmatic

prone to stating opinions as absolute truth

incessant

continuous - often in an annoying way

transitory

lasting a short time

incredulous

unbelieving; or having difficulty accepting something so unexpected

remorse

a feeling deep regret (usually for some misdeed)

vacillate

to change one's mind back and forth between conflicting ideas or: to sway back and forth

anguish

extreme distress of body or mind

vengeance

the act of taking revenge

obscure

not known to many people or: not clearly seen, understood, or expressed; or to hide or make less visible or understandable

depravity

complete immorality or evilness

alleviate

to lessen something that is bad - especially lessen pain

deposition

a pretrial questioning of a witness or the resulting transcript

candid

honest and direct

guile

cunning (shrewdness & cleverness) and deceitful

complacent

contented (unworried and satisfied) - often to a fault

augment

enlarge or increase

abhor

to hate or detest something

despondent

emotionally depressed - especially a feeling of grief and hopelessness after a loss

ephemeral

existing for only a short amount of time

assuage

to soothe (make something less unpleasant or frightening)

enigma

something mysterious that seems unexplainable

sagacious

wise - especially through long experience and thoughtfulness

(racial) epithet

an insulting or abusive word or phrase

acquiesce

reluctant or unenthusiastic compliance, consent, or agreement

aversion

dislike that leads to avoidance

indolent

lazy; disinclined to work

remonstrate

argue in protest or opposition

condenscending

a manner that treats others as inferiors or doing something one considers beneath her position society