Amer Lit Vocab 4

Guile (n)

sly or cunning intelligence

Gullible (adj)

easily persuaded to believe something; credulous

Hamper (v)

hinder or impede the movement or progress of

Hardy (adj)

robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions

Haughtiness (n)

the appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful

Hedonist (n)

a person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure

Heresy (n)

belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.

Hierarchy (n)

a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority

Homogeneous (adj)

of the same kind; alike

Hypocritical (adj)

behaving in a way that suggests one has higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case

Hypothetical (adj)

of, based on, or serving as a hypothesis (n) a hypothetical proposition or statement

Idiosyncrasy (n)

a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual.

Illusory (adj)

based on illusion; not real

Immutable (adj)

unchanging over time or unable to be changed

Impair (v)

weaken or damage something (especially a human faculty or function)

Impeccable (adj)

(of behavior, performance, or appearance) in accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless

Impede (v)

delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder

Implausible (adj)

(of an argument or statement) not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince

Implement (v)

put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect

Impudence (n)

the quality of being impudent; impertinence

Inadvertent (adj)

not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning

Inane (adj)

silly; stupid

Incisive (adj)

(of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear

Incite (v)

encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).

Inclusive (adj)

including or covering all the services, facilities, or items normally expected or required

Incongruous (adj)

not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something

Inconsequential (adj)

not important or significant

Incorrigible (adj)

(of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed

Indict (v)

formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime

Indifferent (adj)

having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned; neither good nor bad

Indiscriminate (adj)

done at random or without careful judgment

Induce (v)

succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something; bring about or give rise to; bring on (the birth of a baby) artificially, typically by the use of drugs; derive by inductive reasoning

Inert (adj)

lacking the ability or strength to move

Ingenious (adj)

(of a person) clever, original, and inventive

Inherent (adj)

existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute

Innate (adj)

inborn; natural

Innocuous (adj)

not harmful or offensive

Innovation (n)

the action or process of innovating

Insipid (adj)

lacking flavor

Instigate (v)

bring about or initiate (an action or event)

Insularity (n)

ignorance of or lack of interest in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience

Integrity (n)

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided.

Intervene (v)

come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events; extend or occur between events.

Intimidate (v)

frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants

Intrepid (adj)

fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect)

Inundate (v)

overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with; flood.

Invert (v)

put upside down or in the opposite position, order, or arrangement.

Ironic (adj)

using or characterized by irony.

Lament (n)

a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

Laud (v)

praise (a person or their achievements) highly, especially in a public context.

lavish (adj)

sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious.

Lethargic (adj)

affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic.

Levity (n)

humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect.

Linger (v)

stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave.

Listless (adj)

(of a person or their manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm.

Lofty (adj)

of imposing height.

Malicious (adj)

characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm.

Marred (v)

impair the appearance of; disfigure.

Superfluous (adj)

unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.

Surpass (v)

exceed; be greater than.

Surreptitious (adj)

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

Susceptible (adj)

likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.

Sustain (v)

strengthen or support physically or mentally.

Sycophant (n)

a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.

Taciturn (adj)

(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

Temper (v)

improve the hardness and elasticity of (steel or other metal) by reheating and then cooling it.

Tentative (adj)

not certain or fixed; provisional

Terse (adj)

sparing in the use of words; abrupt.

Thrive (v)

(of a child, animal, or plant) grow or develop well or vigorously.

Tranquility (n)

the quality or state of being tranquil; calm.

Transient (adj)

lasting only for a short time; impermanent. (n) person who is staying or working in a place for only a short time/ a momentary variation in current, voltage, or frequency.

Trite (adj)

(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.

Turbulence (n)

violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid.