ap lit vocab

circuitous

round-about; not following a direct path

gesticulate

to make gestures, especially when speaking or in place of speaking

ebullient

boiling; bubbling with excitement

conjecture

verb: to guess; to deduce or infer on slight evidence

noun: a guess, a deduction

parsimonious

stingy

placid

calm; serene

anomaly

deviation or departure from the normal

sedition

treason

salient

sticking out; conspicuous; important and prominent

docile

easily taught; obedient; easy to handle

mitigate

to moderate the effect of something

approbation

approval; praise

hyperbole

an exaggeration 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; to 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 and servile; defeated

strife

a bitter conflict; discord

homage

special respect or honor

mollify

to soothe; to pacify

precipitate

to cause to happen abruptly

mangate

a rich, powerful, or very successful business person

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

villify

to say vile things about; to defame

derogatory

disapproving; degrading

gregarious

sociable; enjoying the company of others

facetious

humorous; not serious

despondent

extremely depressed; fully of despair

choleric

hot-tempered; quick to anger

loquacious

talkative