English 2 Honors Midterm Exam Study Guide

100 vocab and analogies

Glibly

adj. done in a smooth,offhand manner; easily spoken; speaking too smoothly to be sincere

Lugubrious

adj. sad or mournful, often to an exaggerated degree; doleful

Finesse

n. delicate skill; subtlety; v. to bring about with skill; to evade

Nemesis

n. an avenger; an unbeatable rival; a person who punishes another for evil deeds

Purloin

v. to steal

Banal

adj. commonplace; trite; stale from overuse

Pseudonym

n. a fictitious name assumed by an author; a pen name

Lampoon

n. a strongly satirical writing; v. to ridicule or satirize

Nefarious

adj. villainous; infamous; having a bad reputation

Bellicose

adj. quarrelsome; hostile; inclined to fighting

Euphemism

n. a mild expression used in place of a harsh, crude, or distasteful expression

Nebulous

adj. hazy; vague; not clearly defined

Abject

adj. hopelessly low; wretched; miserable; without self-respect

Propriety

n. acceptable behaviour; conformity with conventional standards

Revile

v. to attack with abusive language; to call insulting names

Distraught

adj. in a state of mental conflict; agitated; crazed

Admonish

v. to reprove mildly and kindly, but seriously; to caution or warn; to urge

Prosaic

adj. matter-of-fact; ordinary; commonplace

Phlegmatic

adj. sluggish; indifferent; calm

Commensurate

adj. in proper proportion; having the same scale, measure, or size; proportionate

Incognito

n. one who is in disguise or using an assumed name; using a false name

Cognizant

adj. aware of or informed about something

Farcical

adj. ridiculous; exaggeratedly comical

Discursive

adj. wandering or shifting from one subject to another; rambling

Hyperbole

n. an obvious exaggeration, made for effect and not meant to be taken literally

Omniscient

adj. knowing everything, having complete or infinite knowledge

Fortuitous

adj. occurring by change; accidental; fortunate

Assimilate

v. to absorb and incorporate food or knowledge; to absorb on group into a larger culture

Ennui

n. discontent and listlessness from lack of occupation or interest

Mesmerism

n. hypnotism; hypnotic appeal; intense fascination

Dirge

n. a funeral hymn; a poetic or musical expression of grief

Despot

n. an absolute ruler; one in charge who acts like a tyrant

Expatriate

n. one who is exiled or who has withdrawn from his or her native land; to banish from one’s native country

Colloquy

n. a conversation or conference, usually formal

Allay

v. to lessen; to relieve; to calm

Feign

v. to pretend; to makeup

Blazon

v. to proclaim; to display publicly; a coat of arms; a banner

Choleric

adj. having or showing a quick temper or irascible nature

Adroit

adj. clever; skillful in a mental or physical way

Bravado

n. a show of false bravery or confidence

Guile

n: craftiness; deceit; cunning

Proffer

v: to offer; n: an offer

Seraphic

adj: angelic; of the highest order of angels

Amorphous

adj: shapeless; of no particular form or type; not organized

Decorum

n: proper action, speech, and dress; good manners and behavior; polite behavior

Protege

n: someone whose welfare or career is guided and helped by a more influential person

Sanguine

adj: naturally cheerful and hopeful; confident; having a ruddy complexion

Doggerel

n: badly written or trivial verse, often with a singsong rhythm

Ascetic

n: a person who practices unusual self-denial or discipline, often for religious reasons; adj: self-denying

Facile

adj: easily done; performing or working with ease; adroit; not sincere or profound; superficial

Implicit

adj: implied; naturally involved though not obviously evident; unquestioning, absolute

Nondescript

adj: not having individual characteristics; lacking in distinctive qualities; drab; hard to describe

Sundry

adj: various; miscellaneous

Inveigle

v: to win over with trickery or flattery; to dupe

Dogma

n: a belief or set of beliefs held to be true, especially by a church or other authority; a doctrine

Scurrilous

adj: given to the use of abusive or indecent language; foulmouthed

Parsimonious

adj: too economical; stngy; miserly

Exhort

v: to urge strongly; to advise or warn earnestly; to admonish

Nonentities

n: a person or thing of little or no importance: something that does not exist or that exists only in the imagination

Vociferous

adj: loud and noisy; clamorous; demanding

Gratuitous

adj. Freely given or obtained; unearned; uncalled for; without justification or cause

Etymology

n. The source and development of a word; the study of word sources and development

Venerate

v. to regard with deep respect, honor, or esteem; to revere

Trusim

n. A statement the truth of which is obvious or well known

Erudite

adj. Having or displauing extensive knowledge; learned; scholarly

Charlatan

n. A person who falsely claims to possess expert knowledge or skill; a quick; an impostor

Extol

v. to praise highly

Broach

v. to mention for the first time; to introduce a subject; to start a discussion of

Predisposed

v. to create or possess a tendency or preference in advance; to make susceptible

Immutable

adj. Never changing; unchangeable; unalterable

Infringe

v. to violate or disregard a low or an agreement; to trespass; to break in on

Specious

adj. Seemingly desirable, reasonable, or true but not realy so; having a deceptively good appearance

Ostensibly

adj. Outwardly professed; aqpparent; seeming

Absolve

v. to declare free from guilt and blame; to set free from a promise or an obligation

Subjugate

v. to subdue; to conquer; to force to submit

Antipodes

n. Any two places at directly opposite points on the Earth; two opposite things.

Retroactive

adj. Applying to events that are past

Antipathy

n. A strong dislike; an aversion

Nettle

n. A stinging plant; v. to sting with, or as if with, a nettle; to cause sharp annoyance; to irritate

Indigent

adj. Poor; needy

Mundane

adj. Ordinary; commonplace; of this world (rather than the world beyond)

Eulogy

n. A piece of writing in praise of a person or thing, especially to honor one who has recently died; a tribute; praise

Progeny

n. Children; offspring; descendants

Copious

adj. Abundant; plentiful; full of information; wordy

Tenure

n. The holding of an office; the length of time for which a position is held; the permanence of position granted to teachers, civil service employees, and others

Euphony

n. Agreeableness of sound; pleasant combination of sounds in spoken words

Sonorous

adj. Giving out, capable of producing, or having a deep, rich sound

Abnegation

n. self-denial ; a giving up or a renunciation of rights

Poignant

adj. Painfully felt; emotionally touching; pointed; sharp

Extraneous

adj. Coming from outside; foreign; not necessary; irrelevant

Hackneyed

adj. Used too ofte; stale from overuse; trite; cliched

Paragon

n. A model of excellence or perfection; a perfect example of something

Ascribe

v. to assign (as to a cause); to attribute; to think of as coming from, or belonging to someone

Inconsequential

adj. Unimportant; petty; trivial

Humdrum

adj. Without variety or excitement; monotonous; commonplace

Engendered

v. to bring into being; to produce; to cause