English 10 Vocabulary

assuage

v. To ease, to mitigate, to make less painful or burdensome, to calm.

malevolent

adj. Showing a desire to harm another.

erratic

adj. Acting in a way not regular or expected.

fractious

adj. Causing trouble.

scuppernongs

n. A type of grape native to the southern part of the United States.

asinine

adj. Stupid or silly.

benign

adj. Not causing harm.

impudent

adj. Shamelessly bold and disregarding others; rude, disrespectful.

dismemberment

n. The act of cutting off a person’s or animal’s limbs.

taciturn

adj. Almost always silent.

aberration

n. The act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course.

adjacent

adj. Lying near, close, or contiguous.

deportment

n. Demeanor; conduct; behavior.

inconspicuous

adj. Not noticeable or prominent.

inordinately

adv. Not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive.

invective

n. An insulting or abusive word or expression.

libel

n. Defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.

obstreperous

adj. Noisy and difficult to control.

rudiments

n. The elements or the first principles of a subject.

unfathomable

adj. Not able to be completely understood; incomprehensible.

Exposition

The beginning of the plot where the author introduces the reader to characters, setting, narrator, and point of view.

Rising action

The second part of a plot diagram where events begin, build suspense, and create conflict.

Climax

The third part of a plot diagram; the turning point of the story.

Falling action

The fourth part of the plot diagram with no new events or plot points; after the crisis and before the resolution.

Denouement / resolution

The final part of the plot diagram where conflict is resolved and the story concludes.

Foreshadowing

A hint of things to come.

Internal conflict

A struggle where a character struggles with his or her own opposing desires, beliefs, or needs.

External conflict

A struggle where a character struggles against an outside force.

Mood / Atmosphere

The feeling the reader gets from a piece of literature.

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.

First-person point of view

The narrator is a character who participates in the action of the story and uses 'I' and 'me' to describe himself or herself.

Third-person omniscient point of view

The narrator knows everything, including the thoughts and feelings of ALL the characters.

Third-person limited point of view

The narrator sees things through ONE character’s eyes and reveals that character’s feelings and thoughts.

Symbolism

An object, person, or place that represents a meaning beyond its literal definition.

Setting

Time and place in which a story occurs.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion.

Metaphor

Compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, or event.

Juxtaposition

An act or instance of placing close together side by side, especially for compare and contrast.

Euphemism

A mild word substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Colloquialism

Informal speech that people use in everyday language.

Broad Generalization

A statement mostly based on limited knowledge about a large group of people, places, or things.

Protagonist

Main character in a story.

Antagonist

A character or force in conflict with the main character.