World Literature MidTerm

Be^^la^^bor

v. to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

syn: overwork

En^^co^^mium

n. a formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

syn: panegyric, eulogy

ant: condemnation, castigation, criticism

Re^^con^^naissance

n. a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

syn: exploration

^^Mael^^strom

n. a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

syn: chaos, turbulence, tumult

Pusil^^lan^^imous

adj. contemptibly cowardly or mean-spirited

syn: lily-livered

ant: stouthearted, courageous

^^Ig^^nominy

n. shame and disgrace

syn: humiliation, disrepute, odium

ant: honnor, acclaim

U^^to^^pian

adj. founded upon or involving a visionary view of an ideal world; impractical

syn: idealistic

ant: realistic, pragmatic

De^^cry^^

v. to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

syn: denounce, censure, devalue

ant: tout, commend, extol, laud, praise

Sum^^mar^^ily

adv. without delay or formality; briefly, concisely

syn: promptly, peremptorily

Histri^^on^^ic

adj. pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

syn: affected, stagy

ant: muted, untheatrical, subdued

Con^^geal^^

v. to change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

syn: harden, jelly, solidify

ant: liquefy

Pro^^pri^^ety

n. the state of being proper, appropriateness, (pl.) standards of what is proper or socially acceptance

syn: fitness, correctness

ant: unseemingliness, inappropriateness

Ar^^ti^^culate

v. to pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; to connect by a joint or joints; expressed clearly and forcefully; able to employ language clearly and forcefully; jointed

syn: pronounce, elucidate; eloquent

ant: mumble, slur; halting

^^Lud^^icrous

adj. ridiculous, laughable, absurd

syn: preposterous

ant: pathetic

De^^lin^^eate

v. to portray, sketch or describe in accurate and vivid detail to represent pictorially

sny: picture, render

Co^^her^^ent

adj. holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensive, meaningful

syn: connected, unified

ant: muddle, chaotic

In^^tran^^sigent

adj. refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

syn: uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate

ant: lukewarm, half hearted, yielding

Animad^^ver^^sion

n. a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

syn: rebuke, reproof

ant: praise, compliment

Idio^^syn^^crasy

n. a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify

syn: eccentricity, quirk, mannerism

In^^car^^cerate

v. ti imprison, confine, jail

syn: intern

ant: free

^^Eu^^logy

n. a formal statement of commendations; high praise

syn: tribute

ant: invective

^^Feck^^less

adj. lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible. unreliable

syn: incompetent

ant: capable

Pe^^jor^^ative

adj. tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disagreement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

ant: complimentary, ameliorative

Lar^^gesse^^

n. generosity in giving, lavish or bountiful contributions

syn: liberality, bounty

ant: stinginess

^^Hal^^cyon

n. a legendary bird; calm; peaceful; happy, golden

syn: tranquil

ant: turbulent

Un^^won^^ted

adj. not usual or expected; not in character

syn: unusual

ant: usual

Fre^^net^^ic

adj. frenzied, highly agitated

syn: frantic

ant: calm

U^^biq^^uitous

adj. present or existing everywhere

syn: omnipresent, persative, universal

ant: restricted, limited, rare, scare

Ger^^mane^^

adj. relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

sny: pertinent

ant: irrelevant, extraneous, inappropriate

^^Tac^^iturn

adj. habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

syn: uncommunicative

ant: verbose

O^^vert^^

adj. open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

sny: clear, obvious

ant: concealed

Pri^^mor^^dial

adj. developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stage; fundamental, basic

syn: original, primal

^^En^^ervate

v. to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring

syn: impair

ant: strengthen

^^Tal^^isman

n. a charm, an amulet

Distraught

adj. very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

syn: distracted

ant: calm, collected

My^^op^^ic

adj. nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of situation; lacking foresight or discernment

syn: shortsighted

ant: farsighted

Eso^^ter^^ic

adj. intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret

syn: cryptic

ant: accessible

Pe^^cu^^niary

adj. consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

syn: monetary

^^Stra^^tagem

n. a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

syn: trick, ploy, subterfuge

^^Pen^^chant

n. a strong attraction or inclination

syn: proclivity, predilection

ant: disinclination, aversion