AP Lang Week 4 Vocab

1. celibate-

unmarried (noun); abstaining from sex (adj.)

Priests are ____. In that religion, the priests take vows to remain impoverished and celibate.

2. censure-

to criticize sharply (verb)

Syn: blame, condemn,reproach. Ant: praise, applaud

Congress voted to ____ the young congressman because of his unethical behavior.

3. cessation-

a stopping; a discontinuance (noun)

Syn: a pause, a ceasing Ant: a beginning, a commencement

Although there was a ____ in the hostilities, no one doubted that the battle would resume the next day.

4. chaff-

worthless matter (noun)

“Give me just the facts,” the professor said. “Separate the wheat from the ____.

5. chagrin-

embarrassment; a complete loss of courage (noun)

Syn:humiliation

Joanne had never felt such ____ as the time when she fell into the mud puddle in front of her fiancée's family.

6. chimerical-

imaginary; fantastic (adj)

Syn: absurd, illusionary. Ant: practical

Although they laughed at his plans and called them ____, later events proved him to be a visionary.

7. coalesce-

to blend, to merge (verb)

Syn: mix, unite, combine. Ant: separate, divide

The anti-war group was made up of such different personalities that it took months before they could ____ into a group that had some power.

8. debacle-

a complete failure; a total collapse (noun)

Syn: a sudden disaster Ant: success, triumph

After reading the reviews, the actors knew the play was a ____ and would close in one night.

9. debauchery-

corruption; self-indulgence (noun)

Syn: excess, dissipation

He lived a life sunk in sin and ____.

10. deference-

respect; consideration (noun)

Syn: regard, honor. Ant: contempt

In ____ to the young widow, we moved quietly aside and allowed her to leave first.

11. defile-

to pollute, to corrupt (verb)

Syn: taint

The oil spill was of concern to the populace because it was bound to ____ the streams and rivers for miles.

12. deign-

to lower oneself before an inferior (verb)

Syn: stoop, condescend

"After what she did to me, I would not ____ to say hello to her," Mary said to Joe about her former best friend.

13. delineate-

to describe, to depict (verb)

The politician went on to ____ his proposal on disarmament in greater detail.

14. demeanor-

behavior; manner of conducting oneself (noun)

Syn: deportment. Ant: misbehaving

Believe me, his shy ____ is just an act; he is really quite wild.

15. denouement-

an outcome, result (noun)

Syn: conclusion. Ant: beginning

Hazel prided herself on being able to solve mysteries; but the story she was reading was elusive, and the ____ didn't come until the final page.

16. de-

opposite; remove; reduce

(defile)

17. co-/com-/con-

together

(coalesce)