Vocab + Fallacies

august

adj. marked by grandeur and awe

ancillary

adj. Subsidiary; providing assistance

semblence

n. an outward likeness in form or appearence

autodidact

n. a self-taught person

asinine

adj. exhibiting poor judgement or intellegence

albeit

canj. although; even though

conduit

n. a means by which something is transmitted

philatelist

n. one who collects stamps

indefatigable

adj. tireless; incapable of being fatigued

martyr

n. one who suffers or sacrifices for a cause

indiscretion

n. a minor misdeed

osmosis

n. a gradual, often unconscious, process of absorption

picayune

adj. of very little value; tivial

dossier

n. a file of detailed information on a person or subject

behest

n. a command or urgent request

insouciant

adj. not concerned; free from care

static

adj. without force or movement; stationary

stipulate

v. to specify a required part of an agreement

Zeitgeist

n. the general spirit of the time

proliferate

v. to grow or reproduce rapidly

tenet

(n.) an opinion, belief, or principle held to be true

ruminate

v. to thing deeply or repeatedly

vigilant

(adj.) alert at all times, watchful

dissident

n. someone who disagrees

petulant

adj. rude in speech or behavior; peevish

derivative

n. not the original; coming from another source

accolade

n. an award or honor

demur

v. to disapprove or to take exception

limpid

adj. transparent; clear

invidious

tending to cause discontent, harm, or resentment; offensively unfair

agnostic

one who believes that the existence of God can neither be proved nor disproved.

terse

brief and to the point.

uncanny

weird; strange; so keen or acute as to seem bizarre.

exodus

a mass departure or emigration.

penitent

remorseful; sorry for having done wrong.

vindicate

to clear of suspicion or accusations.

raillery

good-humored ridicule or teasing.

pique

to cause resentment; to provoke

linguistics

the scientific study of the sounds and meaning of language

plebeian

a commoner, one from the lower class

precocious

showing early development, especially mental

predatory

inclined to prey on others

prowess

superior skill or ability

pugnacious

eager and ready to fight; quarrelsome

purloin

to steal

pusillanimous

cowardly; fearful

quell

to put an end to; to allay or quiet

quixotic

very idealistic; impractical; caught up in romantic notions

rabble

a disorderly crowd, a mob

rabid

raging; fanatical

raconteur

a person skilled at telling stories

vindictive

seeking revenge; bearing a grudge

circumspect

careful, heedful, attentive to all

zephyr

a gentle breeze (sometimes specifically the West)

renegade

one who deserts one side in favor of another

retribution

something justly deserved, especially a punishment

hurtle

to move or to fling swiftly and with great force

scourge

a person or thing that causes great trouble or misfortune

caustic

biting; stingingly sharp or sarcastic

taciturn

not fond of talking; usually silent

Cajole

to persuade with false promises and flattery

Inscrutable

difficult to understand

Balk

to refuse stubbornly or abruptly; to stop short and refuse to go on

Acrimony

ill-natured, bitter hostility

Dour

stern and ill-humored

Exult

to rejoice; to feel triumphant

Omniscient

all-knowing

Feasible

reasonable; capable of being carried out

Fiasco

a complete, ridiculous failure

Métier

the work one is especially suited for; one's specialty; an occupation

Fluctuate

to rise and fall; to vary irregularly

Harry

to annoy or harass

Incognito

disguised; pretending not to be oneself

Lethargy

lack of energy; sluggishness

Epistle

a letter or literary composition in letter form

Avid

enthusiastic; extremely interested

Gadfly

an irritating and persistent person

Humility

absence of vanity; humbleness

Dolorous

exhibiting sorrow or pain

Gargantuan

of huge or extraordinary size and power

Arduous

hard to do, requiring much effort

Affable

friendly and easy to talk to

Grandiloquent

pompous or high-flown in speech

Agrarian

concerning farms, farmers, or the use of land

Grimace

a facial expression of fear, disapproval, or pain

Harangue

a long, strongly expressed speech or lecture

Formidable

arousing fear or awe

Sycophant

a flatterer; one who fawns on others in order to gain favor

Explicit

definite, clearly stated

Altercation

a heated argument

Lexicon

dictionary

Hue

a particular shade of a given color

Galvanize

to startle into sudden activity

Sanction

permission; support

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Ominous

threatening

Audacity

rude boldness; nerve

Evince

to show clearly; to prove

Implacable

unable to be appeased or pacified

Exhort

to urge on with stirring words