English Examm #1 vocab (pt.2 w/ Romeo and Juliet)

nondescript

lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics

convalescence

the act of recovering from an illness or injury

salient

(n) 1. a military fortification that juts out. 2. a piece of land or fortification that juts out at an angle (adj) most noticeable or important

prodigious

remarkable or impressive in extent, size, degree, or effort

inveigle

to persuade by deception or flattery

reverberant

(of a loud noise) repeating several times as an echo

formidable

intimidating, inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable

inane

silly or stupid, meaningless

indignant

feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair

insidious

subtle but with harmful effects

evade

to avoid or escape especially by trickery or cleverness

enmity

the state of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something

jounced

to move up and down: bounce

effulgence

physical brightness, radiance of joy

decalogue

list of commandments or rules

idiosyncratic

peculiar characteristic of a person or item: weird or different

exaltation

the action of raising to a higher rank, power, or character: the act of praising someone highly: a feeling or state of extreme happiness

dispensation

exemption from a rule or usual requirement

derision

contemptuous ridicule or mockery

extrovert

outgoing, overtly expressive person

fratricide

the act of killing one’s own brother/sister/person with a relationship like a brother/sister

galvanized

to stimulate or excite as if by electric shock

contretemps

an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence, embarrassing situation (small)

commandeered

to take or use something often by force: to compel someone to perform for the military

contemptuously

showing the feeling that a person is worthless or beneath consideration

encumbrance

something that encumbers or burdens

opulent

characterized by wealth, affluence, abundance

sobriety

the quality or state of being sober, staid

reticent

inclined to be silent, untalkative, reserved

aphorism

a concise, memorable observation that contains a general truth

pungent

having an intense flavor or odor

exhorted

excited by argument or advice: urged strongly

sententiousness

excessive moralizing or aphoristic expression

vagary

a whimsical, wild or unusual idea, desire, action: an unpredictable action

multifariously

numerous or varied: having different parts, elements, forms

dowager

elderly woman of stately dignity: a widow

accolade

an award, honor, laudatory notice

austerity

severity of manner, life: sternness, strict economy

aesthete

person who shows great love of art, music, poetry, nature

furlough

a vacation or leave of absence granted to an enlisted person

incredulously

indicating or showing disbelief

incarnate

embodied in the flesh, given a bodily, especially human form

cogitation

the act of thinking hard about something

Maginot Lines

useless defense:
a line of fortifications between France and Germany

subordinate

(adj) lower in rank or position: (n) a person under the control of another: (v) to treat or regard as of lesser importance

emphatically

showing or giving emphasis, stated/done strongly, forcibly

derisively

contemptuously, expressing ridicule

sniggered

to laugh a smothered, partially suppressed laugh

baring

uncovering

compunction

a feeling of guilt that prevents or follows doing something bad

imposed

to force something unwelcome to be done/accepted/put in place: take advantage of someone by demanding something be done

wanly

in a weak, pale or tired way, without energy or effort

meekly

in a quiet, gentle manner

conspicuous

easily noticed, something that attracts attention

averting

turn away one’s eyes (or thoughts) from something: prevent something bad from happening

don’t give a hoot

don’t care at all

mutiny

open rebellion, fighting

strife

bitter, sometimes violent conflict

choler

anger

profane

(v) to treat something sacred with abuse or contempt.
(n) profaner: one who does the above

pernicious

highly injurious or destructive, deadly

portentous

hints of sinister or violent future: ominous

transgression

an infringement or violation of a law, command, or duty

chastity

purity in conduct and intention, to refrain from unlawful or all sexual intercourse

posterity

all future generations

heretics

dissenters from an established religious dogma: nonconformist

hoodwinked

blinded, deceived by false appearance, duped: beguiled

nimble

quick and light in motion, agile: quick alert, clever

misgives

to fill with doubt, apprehension, or foreboding

disparagement

speaking slightingly about, lower in reputation by indirect means

scathe

to do harm to physically, mentally, or emotionally