#101-150 ★ Tess of the D'Urbervilles Vocabulary

obsequious

(adj) overly eager to please or obey; fawning; servile

prosaic

(adj) unimaginative; commonplace; ordinary

reconnoiter

(vi & vt) to get the lay of the land; to survey an area

scintillate

(vi) to sparkle; to be vibrant, animated, or brilliant

sultry

(adj) sweltering; sensual; of hot and heavy atmosphere

abashed

(adj) feeling self-conscious or ashamed; disconcerted

blandishment

(n) flattering speech or action

candor

(n) frankness; honesty; openness

coquette

(n) a flirt

daunt

(vt) to intimidate; to dishearten

denizen

(n) inhabitant; resident

facile

(adj) performing with skill & ease; easily done; easygoing

intrepid

(adj) undaunted; fearless

pantheism

(n) belief that God and the universe are identical

pernicious

(adj) ruinous; injurious; destructive

relinquish

(vt) to surrender; to abandon; to forsake

self-abnegation

(n) self-denial; selflessness

specious

(adj) seemingly true but actually fallacious; deceptively attractive

subterfuge

(n) deceptive stratagem or device; ruse

trammel

(vt) to hinder, restrain; to entangle, to ensnare

abeyance

(n) temporary inactivity or suspension

aversion

(n) deep-rooted dislike; antipathy

bucolic

(adj) rustic; pastoral; idyllic

contrite

(adj) deeply remorseful; penitent

countenance

(vt) to show approval for; to support or encourage

culpable

(adj) blameworthy

delineate

(vt) to represent in a sketch or in words; to portray

flippant

(adj) lacking proper respect or seriousness

harridan

(n) a mean, shrewish, woman; a nag

incredulous

(adj) unbelieving; sceptical

myraid

(n) a great or countless number

relegate

(vt) to assign to an obscure or an inferior position

reticence

(n) restraint or reserve, especially in speech

stigma

(n) a mark or token of shame, infamy, or disgrace

temerity

(n) excessive or reckless boldness; rashness

aquiesce

(vi) to consent or comply tacitly or passively

effete

(adj) marked by weakness or decadence

fastidious

(adj) exacting, esp. in matters of taste; difficult to please

fiasco

(n) complete or humiliating failure

fiat

(n) authoritative order or decree

flaccid

(adj) lacking firmness; limp; weak

harrow

(vt) to distress or torment

mortify

(vt) to subject to shame, humiliation or embarrassment

precipitate

(vt) to cause to happen suddenly or prematurely

sophistry

(n) plausible but faulty or misleading argumentation

stultify

(vt) to have of dulling or inhibiting effect on

surreptitious

(adj) secretive, stealthy

tacit

(adj) not openly expressed but understood or implied

torrid

(adj) intensely hot or scorching; intensely passionate*

proclivity

(n) tendency or inclination; propensity