AP Lang: Unit 2 Vocabulary

Ameliorate

To improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming.

Aplomb

Poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity.

Bombastic

Pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas.

Callow

Without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers.

Drivel

Saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; nonsense (as a verb, to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly).

Epitome

A summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality.

Exhort

To urge strongly, advise earnestly.

Ex officio

By virtue of holding a certain office.

Infringe

To violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds.

Ingratiate

To make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense).

Interloper

One who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be; an intruder.

Intrinsic

Belonging to someone or something by its very nature; essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part.

Inveigh

To make a violent attack in words; express strong disapproval.

Lassitude

Weariness of body or mind; lack of energy.

Millennium

A period of one thousand years; a period of great joy.

Occult

Secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; mysterious, magical, uncanny (as a verb, to hide, cover up; eclipse; as a noun, matters involving the supernatural).

Permeate

To spread through, penetrate, soak through.

Precipitate

To fall as moisture; to bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to (as an adjective, characterized by excessive haste; as a noun, moisture; the product of an action or process).

Stringent

Strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste.

Surmise

To think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess (as a noun, a likely idea that lacks definite proof).