vocab words

abeyance

temporary suspension

abomination

something that causes great horror or disgust

acquiesce

agree without protest

adamant

firm; unyielding

affluent

wealthy

agape

wide open

alliteration

uses a series of words that start with the same sound

allusion

a reference to a statement, person, place, or event from literature,

history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science, or popular culture

ameliorate

make better

analogy

a comparison of similar ideas, often used to explain a complex situation by showing how it is like a simple one

anarchy

absence of government

anonymity

the condition of being unknown or unacknowledged

antonyms

words opposite in meaning

aphorism

a short, concise statement expressing a wise or clever observation or general truth; usually reflects the setting and time frame in which it was created

assonance

the repetition of vowel sounds

assuage

provide physical relief, as from pain

avarice

greed

avidly

eagerly; intently

base

low; contemptible

beguile

trick; delude

bellow

to emit a hollow, loud, animal cry, as a bull or cow

bewitch

cast a spell over someone or something

blanched

paled; whitened

blasphemy

sinful act or remark

calibrate

to divide or mark with gradations, as on a thermometer, measuring

cup, or the like

calumny

false accusation; slander

candid

openly straightforward and direct without secretiveness

celestial

of the heavens

circumvent

surround as to force to give up

cleave

adhere; cling

colonialism

exploitation by a stronger country of a weaker one; the use of the

weaker country’s resources to strengthen and enrich the stronger country

commend

praise

conciliatory

tending to sooth the anger of

confounded

confused; dismayed

connotation

the extra meaning or sense that a word implies (may be positive or

negative)

consanguinity

kinship

consecrate

cause to be revered

consonance

the repetition of consonant sounds at the end of words

consternation

a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter

confusion; dismay

contemplate

reflect deeply on a subject

contentious

argumentative

convivial

fond of eating, drinking, and good company; sociable

cornice

projecting decorative molding along the top of a building

cower

to crouch, as in fear or shame

deference

courteous regard or respect

deferentially

in a manner that bows to another’s wishes; very respectfully

deign

do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity

denotation

the specific literal or dictionary definition of a word

deportment

the way a person behaves toward other people

deposition

the testimony of a witness made under oath but not in open court

depraved

marked by immorality

deprecate

express strong disapproval of; deplore

deprecated

expressed disapproval of; pleaded againstdiction

diction

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

discern

perceive or recognize; make out clearly

dissembling

disguising one’s real nature or motives; pretense

dolorous

sad; mournful

effrontery

shameless boldness

effuse

spread out; diffuse

encroach

advance beyond the usual limit

equanimity

steadiness of mind under stress

ethos

the source’s credibility, the speakers/authors authority

etymology

origin and history of a word

evacuated

to have made empty; withdrawn

exigence

context; occasion; this moment in time; the urgency of now

extort

to obtain by threat or violence

fain

gladly; willingly

fallible

likely to fail or make errors

fasting

eating very little or nothing

figurative language

language that goes beyond the dictionary definitions of the

words; it isn’t meant to be taken literally

filibuster

a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

finite

having measureable or definable limits

first person point of view

tells a story through the eyes of a narrator who is part

of the story

flounce

to move in a lively or bouncy manner

floundering

awkward struggling

foil

anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing’s good qualities

functional text

writing that helps our lives and work function smoothly

(computer manuals, how-to-guides, workplace and consumer documents)

gingerly

with delicate care; cautiously

grapple

the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat

hallow

honor as sacred

harried

troubled persistently with annoyances

homonyms

a word that is spelled and pronounced like another word but is

different in meaning

hyperbole

the deliberate use of exaggeration

idiom

a commonly used expression with a special meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words

impediment

an obstruction; a hindrance; an obstacle

imperceptible

barely noticeable

impervious

not admitting of passage or capable of being affected

impious

lacking reverence for God

incessant

constant; continuing or repeating in a way that seems endless

incredulously

skeptically

inculcation

teaching by repetition and insistent urging

ineffable

inexpressible; unable to be spoken

inference

an educated guess based on incomplete information

infidel

a person who holds no religious belief

infinity

endless or unlimited space, time, or distance

ingratiating

having a quality that brings oneself into favor; charming or

flattering

insurgents

rebels; those who revolt against established authority

inversion

sentences not written in normal word order

irony

a situation or statement characterized by significant difference between what is expected or understood and what actually happens or is meant. Irony is frequently humorous, and can be sarcastic when using words to imply the opposite of what they normally mean

irrevocable

impossible to retract or revoke