Vocabulary Set # 6

abject

most unfortunate or miserable; showing utter resignation, hopelessness, humiliation, or submissiveness

abrogate

to revoke formally; to abolish or avoid

doleful

filled with or evoking sadness; to be down in the dumps, to have a hole in your soul, to be full of woe

effigy

a representation of a person; in modern usage, it is a likeness of a person, such as a dummy, that is hanged, burned, or otherwise abused when protesting the despised person’s actions

fatuous

devoid of intelligence; lacking intelligence

heresy

a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion; any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position

hierarchy

a series of ordered groupings of people or things within a system; the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body

incredulous

not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving

malleable

capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out; easily influenced

oligarchy

a political system governed by only a few people

panegyric

(adjective) formally expressing praise; (noun) a formal expression or praise

pathos

a quality that arouses emotions; a feeling of sympathy or sorrow for the misfortunes of others; a style that has the power to evoke feelings

posterity

all future generations; all of the offspring of a given progenitor

pugnacious

ready and able to resort to force or violence; tough and callous by virtue or experience

rash

(adjective) imprudently incurring risk; marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences; (noun) a series of unexpected and unpleasant occurrences

ruffian

a cruel and brutal fellow

surly

inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace

torpid

in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation; slow and apathetic

vapid

lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest; lacking taste or flavor or tang

zealot

a fervent and even militant proponent of something