Vocabulary Practice

belaboring

arguing or elaborating a subject in excessive detail to the point of tiresomeness or redundancy.

apocryphal

of doubtful authenticity

baroque

characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance

privation

an act of instace of depriving

picaresque

relating to a genre of fiction that follows the adventures of a roguish hero, often in a satirical manner.

bildungsroman

a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist

grist

a grain or a batch of grain for grinding

inchoate

being only partly in existence or operation

bodhisattvas

a being that compassionately refrains from enteringnirvana in order to save others and is worshipped as a diety in Mahayana Buddhism.

canard

a false or unfounded report or story

breadth

the distance or measurement from side to side, often used to describe width.

languid

displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion

lethargy

a lack of energy and enthusiasm

quixotic

exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical

saccharine

excessively sweet or sentimental

myopia

eye condition where distant objects appear blurred while close objects remain clear

megalomania

obsession with the excercise of power

glad-handed

great or welcomed warmly

métier

a trade, profession, or occupation

libertine

a person, especially a man, who behaves without moral principles or a sense of responsiblity

verismilitude

the appearance of being true or real

legerdemain

skillful use of ones hands when performing conjuring tricks

incandescence

the emission of light from a substance that has been heated to a high temp

moot

subject to debate, dispute or uncertainty

paramour

a lover, especially the illicit partner of a married person

acidly

with bitterness or sarcasm

shrewish

bad-tempered or aggresively assertive (typically used of a woman)

abject

experienced or present to the maximum degree

overt

extending directly upward from

convivial

(of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable.

prescient

having or showing knowledge of events before they take place

pedagogy

the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept

repudiate

refuse to accept or be associated with

lauded

highly praised or admired

Ad nauseam

to the point of nausea

adulation

obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise

portmanteau

a word formed by blending two or more other words, combining parts of them to create a new one with a new meaning

fiefdom

Originally referred to a territory or estate controlled by a feudal lord in exchange for allegiance and service. Today, the term is used figuratively to describe any organization, department, or sphere of activity that is dominated and completely controlled by a single person or group

Schmaltzy

Excessively sentimental, corny, or overly emotional, often in an insincere way