Things Fall Apart Vocabulary

Wily

Skilled at gaining advantage especially deceitfully

adj.

Blair’s mother saw her daughters’ wily personality as childish and immature

improvident

Not having or showing foresight: thoughtless

adj.

Vanessa was improvident when it came to the cause of her actions.

Plaintive

Sounding sound and mournful

adj.

Chuck’s spoke in a plaintive tone the weeks following Bart’s death

Discern

Perceive or recognize something

v.

Chuck was able to discern Bart’s involvement in the any situation regarding money.

Capricious

Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood and behavior

adj.

Some may argue that Blair is capricious when it comes to her relationship with Dorota

Incipient

In an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop

adj.

Jenny was in an incipient stage of learning the scheming ways of Blair Waldorf

Arduous

Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring

adj.

Nate Archibald explained how working at the spectator is arduous.

Poignant

Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret

adj.

After getting caught stealing the dress, Jenny felt poignant and regretful

Tentative

No certain or fixed: provisional

adj.

Serena and Dan had tentative plans to go to the masked ball

Kindle

- light or set on fire

- arouse or inspire (an emotion)

v.

Seeing Blair pass the SAT’s kindled Serena to get on the study grind

Feign

Pretend to be affected by a feeling, state or injury

v.

Chuck feigned sympathy for his fathers second death

Audacity

A willingness to take bold risks

n.

It was hard for anyone to believe that Bart had the audacity to try to kill Chuck after everything he had done for him

Approbation

Approval or praise

n.

Jenny always felt the need of approbation from Blair and the other Constance girls

Voluble

(of a person) talking fluently, readily, or incessantly

adj.

Blair made her speech voluble to be sure no one would interrupt

Harbinger

a person or things that announces or signals the approach of another

noun.

Ivy’s presence was the harbinger of bad things to come