AP Lit Vocab 2

aegis (n.)

protection; patronage; sponsorship

syn: auspices

apprise (v.)

to inform of; to make aware by giving oral or written notice

syn: acquaint

ant: keep secret, withold information

bibulous (adj.)

fond or inclined to drink; absorbent

syn: inebrious

ant: abstemious, temperate

claque (n.)

a group of people hired to applaud a performer or performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat

syn: fan club, flatterers

ant: critics, detractors, slanderers

deracinate (v.)

to pull up by the roots; to root out; uproot or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of

syn: extirpate, eradicate, expunge

ant: implant, nurture, foster, instill

exegesis (n.)

an explanation or critical interpretation

syn: analysis, explication

ant: mystification

indigenous (adj.)

originating in the county or region where found, native, inborn, inherent

syn: endemic, domestic, homegrown

ant: foreign, alien, exoteric, imported

lachrymose (adj.)

given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious

syn: tearful, doleful, dolorus

ant: dry-eyed, merry, hilarious

lexicon (n.)

a dictionary of a language; the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium

syn: wordbook, glossary

melee (n.)

a confused struggle; a violent free for all, a tumultuous mingling

syn: fracas, brawl, scuffle, donnybrook

adj: friendly chat, peace and quiet

microcosm (n.)

a miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system;

syn: epitome, world in little

ant: macrocosm, cosmos, totality

miniscule (adj., n.,)

very small; tiny; lowercase letter

syn: infinitesimal, insignificant

ant: huge, massive, monumental

obfuscate (v.)

to darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder

syn: muddy the waters

ant: elucidate, explicate, clarify

paternalism (n.)

the policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner of a father dealing with his children

syn: benevolence, solicitude, fatherliness

ant: stalwart*, gallant*

polarize (v.)

to cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause light to vibrate in a pattern

syn: split, alienate, estrange

ant: unite, unify, reconcile

purview (n.)

the range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope of limit of what is provided in a statute

syn: orbit

sanguine (n.)

having a ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook

syn: flushed, rosy

ant: bloodless, ashen, pessimistic,gloomy

solecism (n.)

a substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake

syn: misusage, blunder

vassal (n., adj.)

a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant; subservient

syn: minion, servile

ant: overlord

verisimilitude (n.)

the quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable

syn: realism, lifelikeness, or authenticity