English 2HB Vocab 1

verisimilitude

the appearance of being true or real; something that only appears to be true or real

plausibility, lifelikeness, authenticity

veritable

being truly of very much so; a veritable triumph; used to emphasize a figurative concept

authentic, genuine, real

veracity

the truth, accuracy, or precision of something; the truthfulness or honesty of somebody

truthfulness, accuracy, fidelity

verity

the quality of being truth or real

accuracy, truth, actuality

immortality

able to have eternal life or existence; very famous and likely to be remembered for a long time

everlasting, perpetuity, deathlessness

mortified

to make somebody feel deeply ashamed and humiliated

embarrassed, humiliated, appalled

mortician

funeral director

embalmer, undertaker, funeral manager

remorse

a feeling of being sorry for doing something and or wrong; a feeling of guilt

guilt, regret, repentance

mortuary

a room or building in which dead bodies are kept until they are buried or cremated

morgue, funeral home, funeral parlor

verdict

the decision made by a jury in a trial; a judgement or opinion about something

ruling, judgement, decree

pulchritude

physical beauty

allure, elegance, beauty

gambol

to run or jump in a lively way

caper, frolic, prance

demur

to delay or try to avoid doing something because of personal reservations or objections; to object mildly to something that you do not want to do but have been asked to do

object, dissent, protest

indiscretion

lack of tact or good judgment; something said or done that is tactless or unwise

irresponsibility, in caution, imprudence

finite

having an end or limit

restricted, fixed, limited

inveterate

fixed in a habit or practice, especially a bad one; firmly established and of long standing

ingrained, habitual, deep-seated

unimpeachable

very reliable and trusted; not able to be doubted or questioned

trustworthy, dependable, reliable

enigma

like a riddle; somebody or something that is not easily explained or understood

mystery, puzzle, paradox

patronize

to give money or support to someone or something; to talk to someone in a way that shows you believe you are more intelligent and better than other people

condescend, talk down to, look down on

gauche

clumsy; lacking grace or tact in social situations

awkward, gawky, clumsy

impudent

showing a lack of respect and excessive boldness

impertinent, cocky, brazen

fiasco

a total failure, especially a humiliating or ludicrous one

disaster, complete failure, debacle

vulnerable

open to physical or emotional harm; easily persuadable or liable to give into temptation

impotent, defenseless, weak

buttress

a structure built against a wall in order to support or strengthen it

reinforcement, prop, support

sanguine

cheerful and hopeful

optimistic, cheery, confident

elegiac

having a mournful quality (especially in a work of art)

melancholic, sorrowful, doleful

diffident

lacking confidence and not feeling comfortable around people

meek, reticent, timid

abstruse

hard to understand

obscure, perplexing, incomprehensible

capitulate

to stop fighting an enemy or opponent or surrender (often after a negotiation of terms)

succumb, surrender, yield

triumvirate

a group of three people who share a position or power

triad, trinity, trilogy

VER

True (Verify, Very)

MORT

Death (Immortal, Mortal