Howard's End & On Beauty Vocabulary

Reticent (adj)

Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved.

Sympathy (noun)

The feelings of pity, sorrow, or compassion for someone else's misfortune; A favorable attitude or feeling of support for an opinion or political cause.

Impetuous (adj)

Acting or done quickly and impulsively without thought or care of the consequences.

Facile (adj)

Easily achieved or accomplished; superficial.

Impropriety (noun)

The quality or state of being improper; a violation of accepted standards of behavior.

Imprudence (noun)

Lack of wisdom or good judgment; often resulting to recklessness.

Cant (noun)

Hypocritical and sanctimonious talk especially of a moral, religious, or political nature.

Insular (adj)

Isolated; narrow-minded or detached from other cultures or viewpoints.

Latent (adj)

Existing but not yet developed or visible; hidden or concealed.

Dyspeptic (adj)

Relating to indigestion; irritable or grumpy.

Malignity (noun)

The quality of being malicious or evil in nature or intent. (adj. form: malign)

Morbid (adj)

Unhealthy or abnormal interest in disturbing or unpleasant subjects.

Gentility (noun)

Social superiority as demonstrated by polite behavior, manners, or appearances.

Gauche (adj.)

Lacking social grace or sensitivity; awkward or clumsy.

Prig (noun)

A self-righteous person who is overly concerned with propriety or correctness.

Affectation (noun)

An unnatural behavior, often meant to impress others or appear sophisticated.

Austerity (noun)

Sternness or severity in attitude, appearance, or manner; self-discipline.

Capricious (adj)

Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior; impulsive.

Callous (adj)

Showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; emotionally insensitive.

Ignoble (Adj)

Not honorable in character or purpose; of low moral quality.

Acrimony (noun)

Bitterness or ill feeling in speech or manner towards something.

Pauperize (verb)

To make someone poor or reduce them to poverty.

Shrewd (adj.)

Having or showing sharp powers of judgment of people or situations; astute.

Vulgar (adj.)

Lacking sophistication or good taste; crude, coarse, or unrefined.

Squalor (noun)

The state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, often due to poverty or neglect.

Bucolic (adj.)

Pertaining to country life; ritual, rustic, pastoral

Myopic (adj.)

Literally, short-sighted or nearsighted; figuratively, lacking foresight or intellectual insight, unimaginative.

Scurrilous (adj.)

Language, remarks, or rumors that are vulgar, abusive, or maliciously defamatory.

Benign (adj.)

Kindly, bland, gentle, or mild.

Pomposity (noun)

Self-conscious display of signity (especially when inflated) or importance; pretentiousness.

Philistine (noun)

An uneducated or unenlightened person; one perceived to be indifferent or hostile to art or culture, or whose interest and taste are commonplace or material; a non-connoisseur.

Maladroit (adj.)

Lacking in adroitness or dexterity; awkward, bungling, clumsy, inept.

Obverse (noun)

The counterpart of any action, fact, condition, etc.

Implacable (adj.)

Unable to be placated or appeased; irreconcilable.

Facetious (adj.)

Joking, witty, humorous, amusing, especially when inappropriate or flippant.

Brazen (adj.)

Someone or something that acts bold, shameless, and unapologetic.

Anathema (noun)

Someone or something that is strongly detested, shunned, or considered fundamentally unacceptable to one’s beliefs.

Obstinate (adj.)

The act of stubbornly refusing to change your opinion, behavior, or plans, despite reasonable arguments or attempts to persuade you.

Guileless (adj.)

Being completely innocent, honest, and free of deceit

Mollify (verb)

To soften in temper or disposition; to allay the anger or indignation of; to calm, pacify, appease.

Languid (adj.)

Exhibiting a natural or affected disinclination to physical exertion; leisurely, unhurried, slow-moving; weak, faint, or inert.

Stymied

To impede, obstruct, frustrate, thwart.

Sardonic (adj.)

Bitter, scornful, mocking

Invidious (adj.)

An action, remark, or situation that is likely to cause resentment, anger, offense, or ill will.

Mendacious (adj.)

Lying, untruthful, false (noun form: mendacity)

Nascent (adj.)

That is in the act or condition of coming into existence; beginning to form, grow, develop, etc.

Virulent (adj.)

Violently bitter, spiteful, or malignant; full of acrimony or enmity.

Banal (adj.)

Commonplace, common, trite; trivial, petty.

Torpor (noun)

A state of physical inactivity; lethargy, listlessness, dullness

Equanimity (noun)

Evenness of mind or temper; the quality or condition of being undisturbed by elation, depression, or agitating emotion; unruffledness.