LIT WEEKLY WORDS

acolyte

A person who assists in some religious services by carrying out minor duties; who attends or assists; a follower.

usurp

To take over; to seize or use something without authority.

quintessence

Someone or something that is a classic, most perfect and/or typical example of quality or class.

portentous

Foreboding; threatening; sinister; momentous.

dirge

Funeral song; death march.

dole

Lamentation; sadness.

visage

The face or facial expression of a person.

denote

To indicate; to mark; to signal; to mean.

chimera

An unrealistic or vain dream or objective; in mythology, a monstrous hybrid creature.

importune

To insistently beg; plead.

cacophony

A harsh discordant mixture of sounds.

fetters

Chains or shackles attached to the ankles.

whet

To sharpen; to stimulate.

superfluous

Extra; beyond what is needed.

Incensed

Angered; infuriated.

cudgel

To beat with a heavy club.

prate

To talk idly; to chatter.

perdition

Eternal damnation; hell.

aloof

Distant; indifferent; unapproachable.

eponymous

Giving their name to something; named after a particular person.

absolve

To clear of guilt or free from a promise or responsibility.

coalesce

To grow old together; to unite; to form a whole.

declaim

To recite something in the style of a public speech; to speak in a loud, theatrical way.

delineate

To describe vividly and in detail; to draw an outline of.

demagogue

A leader who seeks power by appealing to people’s emotions and prejudices.

sedulous

Completed with careful perseverance; diligent.

dissent

The expression or holding of opinions that are at variance with those previously held.

germane

Pertinent and fitting.

candid

Truthful and straightforward.

duplicity

Deceitfulness; double-dealing.

esteem

Respect and admiration for a person.

fastidious

Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

pompous

Affectedly and irritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important.

felicity

Intense happiness; a particularly effective feature of literature or art.

pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.

charlatan

One who falsely claims knowledge or ability.

denizen

An inhabitant, resident, or frequenter of a place.

imbibe

To consume by drinking; to absorb or take in mentally.

clandestine

Kept secret or done secretively, especially illicit.

cede

To give up (power or territory).

prolific

Producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring; plentiful.

cognizant

Having knowledge or being aware of.

savant

A person with detailed knowledge in a specialized field.

vendetta

A blood feud; a prolonged and bitter feud.

nefarious

Very wicked.

credo

A strongly held belief; a guide to one’s actions.

respite

A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.

ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation; unclear.

nihilism

A viewpoint that denies any meaning or value to life.

decry

To criticize strongly; to denounce.

chasten

To correct or improve by discipline.

lachrymose

Tearful; tending to induce tears.

unscrupulous

Having or showing no moral principles; not honest.

preternatural

Beyond what is normal or natural.

sundry

Of various kinds; several.

ubiquitous

Present, appearing, or found everywhere.

zeal

Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause.

scintillating

Sparkling or shining brightly; exciting.

reproach

To express criticism towards; the expression of disapproval.

veneer

A pleasant appearance that is not sincere.

umbrage

Offense or annoyance.

restitution

A paying back for what has been lost.

placate

To make (someone) less angry or hostile.

asinine

Extremely stupid or foolish.

luminous

Full of or shedding light; bright or shining.

atonement

Reparation for a wrong or injury; reconciliation.

camaraderie

A spirit of trust and goodwill among people.

sublime

Of such excellence or beauty as to inspire great admiration.

convergence

An act or instance of converging.

haughty

Disdainfully proud.

imprint

To impress or stamp on a surface.

precarious

Not securely held; dependent on chance; uncertain.

maim

Wound or injure (someone) so that part of the body is permanently damaged.

callous

Showing an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.

gallows

A structure for the hanging of criminals.