JCP English III Vocab

Point

an exact location in space

Line

reiterate

to say again; to repeat

circumlocution

use of many words to be vague or evasive

proletariat

the industrial working class

distend

to swell; to extend a great deal

perquisite

a privilege that comes with a job; a perk

precipitous

steep

furtive

secretive; sly

dictum

an authoritative saying; a maxim

consummate

perfect; supremely skillful; to complete

recalcitrant

stubbornly defiant of authority

rapacious

greedy; plundering

stricture

a restriction; limitation

urbane

polished; sophisticated

recant

to publicly take back or deny

egalitarian

believing in social and economic equality

misanthropic

hating mankind

itinerant

moving from place to place

officious

annoyingly eager to help or advise

enervate

to weaken; reduce energy

rogue

a criminal or dishonest person

audacity

boldness; reckless daring

erudite

scholarly; deeply learned

sacrosanct

sacred; inviolable

tenacious

persistent; stubborn

petulant

rude; cranky; ill

whimsical

capricious; erratic; unpredictable

contrite

feeling guilty; remorseful

moribund

near death; becoming obsolete

callow

immature

metamorphosis

a dramatic change in form

odious

arousing hatred; repugnant

chimera

an illusion; foolish fancy

decadent

decaying, especially morally

egregious

extremely bad or offensive

verbose

using too many words

deduce

to infer from evidence

exalt

to glorify; raise high

disdain

to reject with scorn; contempt

sloth

laziness; sluggishness

peremptory

final; dictatorial

circuitous

roundabout; indirect

gesticulate

to make gestures while speaking

ebullient

bubbling with excitement

conjecture

to guess; a guess

parsimonious

stingy

placid

calm; serene

anomaly

deviation from the normal

sedition

treason

salient

sticking out; important; prominent

docile

easily taught; obedient; easy to handle

mitigate

to moderate the effect of something

approbation

approval; praise

hyperbole

an exageration used as a figure of speech

surreptitious

sneaky; secret

doggerel

comic, trivial, often satirical poetry; words badly written or expressed

intractable

uncontrollable; stubborn

penchant

strong taste or liking for something; a predilection

prodigal

wastefully extravagant

vacillate

to be indecisive; to waver

promulgate

to proclaim; to publicly or formally declare something

supplant

to displace, to substitute for another

circumscribe

to draw a line around; set the limits; to define

vapid

without liveliness; dull; spiritless

inert

inactive; sluggish; not reacting chemically

insidious

treacherous; sneaky and crafty

reparation

paying back; making amends

turpitude

shameful wickedness

fulsome

offensively flattering or insincere

hone

to sharpen; to make perfect

inveterate

habitual; firm in habit; deeply rooted

sanctimonious

pretending to be devout

saccharine

sweet; excessively or disgustingly sweet

vicissitude

one of the sudden or unexpected changes or shifts often encountered in one’s life, activities, or surroundings

abject

hopeless; extremely sad or servile; defeated

strife

a bitter conflict; discord

homage

special respect or honor

mollify

to soothe; to pacify

precipitate

to cause to happen abruptly

magnate

a rich, powerful, or very successful business man

diffident

timid; lacking in self confidence

edify

to enlighten; to instruct

malfeasance

an illegal act, especially by a public official

exonerate

to free completely from blame

vilify

to say vile things about; to defame

derogatory

disapproving; degrading

gregarious

sociable; enjoying the company of others

facetious

humorous; not serious

despondent

extremely depressed; full of despair

choleric

hot-tempered; quick to anger

loquacious

talkative

deride

to laugh at contemptuously; to ridicule

indolent

lazy

rhetoric

the art or study of using language effectively and persuasively

impugn

to attack, especially the truth or integrity of something

nefarious

evil; fragrantly evil

equanimity

composure; calm

labyrinth

a maze; something like a maze

conciliatory

making peace; attempting to resolve a dispute through good will