AP Lit Unit 7 and 8 Vocab

Definitions, synonyms and antonyms. This is for Mr. Capron's AP Lit class.

allAY

allAY

(v.) To calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve.

allAY

Reduce, alleviate, moderate (syn)

allAY

Aggravate, exacerbate, intensify (ant)

BEStial

(adj.) Beastlike; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility.

BEStial

Animal, depraved, loathsome (syn)

BEStial

Human, humane, clement, virtuous, upright (ant)

conVIVial

(adj.) Festive, sociable, having fun together, genial

conVIVial

fun-loving, jovial, merry (syn)

conVIVial

dour, grim, sullen, unsociable (ant)

COterie

(n.) A circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest.

COterie

clique, set (syn)

COUNTerpart

(n.) A person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement.

COUNTerpart

match (syn)

deMUR

(v.) To object or take exception to; (n.) an objection

deMUR

protest, object to (syn)

deMUR

assent to, consent to, accept, agree to (ant)

effronterY

(n) Shameless boldness, impudence

effronterY

gall, chutzpah, nerve, impertinence, cheek (syn)

effronterY

shyness, diffidence, timidity (ant)

emBELLish

(v) to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details

emBELLish

ornament, garnish (syn)

emBELLish

strip, mar, disfigure (ant)

ePHEMeral

(adj.) Lasting only a short time, short-lived

ePHEMeral

fleeting, transient, evanescent, transitory (syn)

ePHEMeral

durable, long-lasting, permanent, perpetual (ant)

feLICitous

(adj.) appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy

feLICitous

fortunate, well-put (syn)

feLICitous

inappropriate, inept, graceless, unhappy (ant)

FURtive

(adj.) Done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty; stolen.

FURtive

clandestine, covert, surreptitious (syn)

FURtive

forthright, aboveboard, open (ant)

GARish

(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way

GARish

gaudy, flashy, tawdry (syn)

GARish

subdued, muted, understated, quiet (ant)

iLLUsory

(adj.) misleading, deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality.

iLLUsory

specious, spurious, fanciful, imaginary (syn)

iLLUsory

actual, real, factual, objective (ant)

INdigent

(adj.) Needy, impoverished.

INdigent

penniless, poverty-stricken, destitute (syn)

INdigent

wealthy, affluent, prosperous (ant)

inORdinate

(adj.) Far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive

inORdinate

exorbitant, extravagant (syn)

inORdinate

moderate, reasonable, equitable (ant)

JETtison

(v.) To cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

JETtison

junk, cast off, discard, dump, abandon (syn)

JETtison

conserve, retain, hold on to, keep (ant)

MISanthrope

(n.) a person who hates or despises people

MISanthrope

people-hater (syn)

pertiNACious

(adj.) very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied

pertiNACious

stubborn, dogged, determined (syn)

picAYune

(adj) of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

picAYune

inconsequential, piddling, trifling (syn)

picAYune

important, significant, huge, gigantic (ant)

RAIment

(n.) Clothing, garments.

RAIment

apparel, attire (syn)

allEGE

(v.) To assert without proof or confirmation.

allEGE

claim, contend (syn)

allEGE

prove, deny (ant)

ARRant

(adj.) Thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant

ARRant

egregious, unmitigated (syn)

badiNAGE

(n.) Light and playful conversation

badiNAGE

banter, persiflage, repartee (syn)

badiNAGE

sermon (ant)

conCILiate

(v.) To overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile, make consistent

conCILiate

placate, mollify, propitiate (syn)

conCILiate

antagonize, alienate, estrange (ant)

COUNTermand

(v.) To cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first.

COUNTermand

recall, revoke (syn)

COUNTermand

reaffirm, reassert (ant)

ECHelon

(n.) One of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement

ECHelon

level, rank (syn)

exACerbate

(v.) To make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful

exACerbate

aggravate, intensify, worsen (syn)

exACerbate

alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate (ant)

FATuous

(adj.) Stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way

FATuous

silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous (syn)

FATuous

sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright (ant)

irreFUtable

(adj.) impossible to disprove; beyond argument.

irreFUtable

indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable (syn)

irreFUtable

disputable, indefensible, untenable (ant)

JUGGernaut

(n.) A massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path.

lackaDAIsical

(adj.) Lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted .

lackaDAIsical

listless, indolent, indifferent, lax (syn)

lackaDAIsical

energetic, vigorous, wholehearted (ant)

LITany

(n.) A prayer consisting of short appeals to god recited by the leader alternating with responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list.

LITany

rigamarole, catalog, megillah (syn)

maCABre

(adj.) Grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject.

maCABre

grotesque, grim, ghoulish (syn)

PAUcity

(n.) An inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth.

PAUcity

lack (syn)

PAUcity

abundance, glut, plentitude, deluge (ant)

porTEND

(v.) To indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of.

porTEND

bode, foretell, foreshadow, suggest (syn)

RAZE

(v.) To tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out.

RAZE

pull down, demolish, shave off (syn)

RAZE

built, construct, raise, erect (ant).

reCANT

(v.) to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce, retract.

reCANT

repudiate, disavow (syn)

reCANT

reaffirm, reassert (ant)

SATurate

(v.) to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy fully.